Swain spends six days a week training and covers between 400 and 600 kilometres on the track and road.

The Hunter District Cycling Club product has his sights set on the Japan 2020 Paralympics.

Swain is ranked eighth on the Union Cycliste Internationale Circuit and second in Australia for road cycling.

He holds the Australian title for track cycling in the four-kilometre pursuit and took out silver in the 72km road race at the 2015 National Para-Cycling Road Championships in April.

While Swain is revelling in these results, it was not always his dream to be a Paralympic cyclist.

Two years ago, Swain was a competitive first-division tennis player in Newcastle when his dreams of competing in tennis at the Rio 2016 Paralympics were shattered.

He discovered the Paralympic Committee only offered the sport for athletes in wheelchairs.

Born with genetically malformed arms, Swain has two digits on his left hand and none on the right. However, he has never let this hold him back.

"I've always been very competitive at everything I do and I believe you can do anything if you really want to do it," he said. "I don't let my disability stop me."

Swain picked himself up and attended an Australian Paralympic Committee talent search day, where he was told he had a shot at competitive cycling.

Having grown up racing road bikes with his older brother Simon, the sport came naturally to Swain.

He said he would not be where he was today without his coaches Glenn Lewis, Ross Hayter and Craig Chapman.

Swain hopes to compete in his first international event - the Japan Cup - in October.