The Paralympics are full of stories about families who convinced their para-athletes they could do things they never thought possible.
Then there’s “Flying Mullet” Alistair Donohoe’s mum, Amanda, who freely admitted she was the one who’d been “proven wrong”.
“I never, ever thought it would get to this level, though,” she said, sitting alongside her son after he claimed silver in the men’s C5 individual time trial.
“I said to him the other day that I remember Cadel Evans saying how much you had to drive – ride – solo to be a really competitive athlete.
“And I just thought, you know, when he was like 17 or 18, he’s never going to make it.
“He just loves to talk and socialise. How is he ever going to do a really long training ride on his own, you know?
“And boy, I’ve been proven wrong.”
Of course, the loving mum was thrilled to see her son medal at the Games, saying it was “thrilling and exciting” after all his hard work.
Alistair Donohoe and his mum, Amanda, speak to Channel Nine. Nine