Australian wheelchair rugby player Ryan Scotty will wear a unique pair of shoes - a red Chinese dragon on one and his country's national flag on the other.

"The Chinese dragon means strength, and red shows hot and aggressive. I hope it will bring me good luck during the Games," the 25-year-old told China Daily yesterday.

Scotty as a teenager used to like playing basketball and football and go surfing. But a car accident nine years ago changed his life.

"Over night, I couldn't feel my legs and my fingers It was desperately painful for a 16-year-old high school boy who dreamed of being a sports star," he said. "It was difficult to face reality."

Scotty said he remembers the day he saw the national wheelchair rugby team training at a rehabilitation center.

"I was shocked to see so many youngsters in wheelchairs, like myself, could happily play such a rough sport like rugby," he said. "They would crash into each other and fall off their special-designed wheelchairs, but would get back up with a smile."

From that day, Scotty made up his mind that he would take up rugby. His courage and talent for the game led him to be chosen for the national team. His team will face the Chinese team on Friday.

"I know the Chinese are proud to be the offspring of the dragon. My team members and I have dragons on our shoes, and it will be a wonderful event between two dragons," he said.

Four of his teammates also have dragons painted on their shoes.

Ha Yiqi, a Chinese traditional kite designer, painted the dragons for them free of charge.

"I hope it will bring them good luck," Ha said.