Marayke Jonkers

Marayke Jonkers is a Paralympic swimmer, paratriathlete and founder of Sporting Dreams, a charity supporting athletes with disabilities. Known for her courage, determination and love of life, Marayke inspires audiences through her achievements and her advocacy for people with disabilities.

At the age of 13, Marayke wrote a list of 100 lifetime goals and had achieved them all by the age of 30—top of the list was winning a Paralympic medal. She has won three Paralympic medals, broken the world record for 100m butterfly, and holds more than 70 Australian swimming records across multiple strokes. In 2009, she became Australia’s first female paratriathlete and Paratriathlon medallist, winning bronze at the ITU World Championships in Budapest.

Marayke became a paraplegic as a baby following a car accident. Encouraged by her mother, she learnt to swim and developed a passion for sport that has defined her life. She retired from competitive swimming in 2011 due to thoracic outlet syndrome but continues to inspire through her charity, Sporting Dreams, which has supported over 40 young athletes.

Beyond sport, Marayke has earned two university degrees in social science and communications, achieving a Dean’s Commendation for Academic Excellence while training for the Paralympics. She has been recognised with multiple awards including Young Achiever of the Year and was an Olympic torch bearer in 2000.

A passionate adventurer, Marayke enjoys skydiving, sit-skiing, kayaking, camel riding, and handcycling along Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. With her motivational talks, she encourages audiences to overcome obstacles, take on challenges, and embrace life with courage and positivity. Her favourite quote: “You never know what you can do until you try.”