The Irish team of 45 elite athletes across nine sports includes seven from Northern Ireland and two genuine gold medal hopes.

Double world champion and world record holder in 100m and 200m is Jason Smyth from Derry who is visually impaired. This is his first Paralympics.

“There is pressure, whenever you are expected to win all you can do is equal those expectations or fail to live up to them, you can’t do better but all I can do is focus on what I’m doing, not worry about anyone else and get on with it, that’s all I can control,” said the Sports Institute of Northern Ireland star.

Smyth’s talents often see him compete at national and international level against able bodied athletes.

“I think the publicity of the Paralympics is slowly getting better and more people are taking an interest. It’s a big goal of mine to run in the Olympics one day, hopefully London 2012 if things go well, I don’t see why not, I don’t see why it can’t happen,” he said.

Also with big hopes for gold medal success is another world champion and world record holder in the 800m; teenager Michael McKillop from Co Antrim.

“I’d like to think I’ve a chance of winning a medal but you just never know what to expect,” he said.

The team also includes Armagh dressage rider Eilish Byrne, Tyrone swimmers Jonathan Cummings and Stephen Campbell plus Belfast swimmer Hannah Clarke.

The 18 year-old will be taking part in the 100 metres breaststroke in the Water Cube where Michael Phelps and Rebecca Adlington starred a few weeks ago.

“I took part in the 2006 World Championships which was a fantastic experience but this will be even better,” she said.

“On that occasion I narrowly missed out on a place in the final. If I can reach the final in Beijing then I will be happy and even more so if I can do a personal best.”

West Belfast teenager Mark Jones is the only player from the north named on the Ireland soccer team.

The Games will see Ireland pitted against Iran, Ukraine and Great Britain which is a tough group in what is a seven-a-side tournament.

“Yes it’s going to be difficult for us but we reckon we have a chance of getting out of the group and making the semi finals,” he explained.

In all there are 10 track and field athletes, four cyclists (with two sighted pilot riders), one Archer, four Boccia players (a form of bowls for athletes with physical disabilities), a team of 12 footballers, six swimmers, five sailors, two Table Tennis players, and one dressage rider.

In the GB Paralympics rowing team is Karen Cromie from Ballinamallard in Co. Fermanagh.

She is funded through a lottery grant from Sport Northern Ireland and is a member of the Sports Institute Northern Ireland providing her with an excellent support network.