The adopted son of humanitarian worker Moira Kelly, Ahmed is determined to bring home gold.
Ahmed Kelly's nickname is 'Nails', for his tough attitude toward training and competition.
He set a world record in just his second professional swimming race and now he has his sights set on gold in Rio.
"I never like it when people say 'oh Ahmed you can't do that' or 'this is going to be way to hard for you to do' if they do that I love to prove them wrong, somehow get close to defeating that challenge or just give it a crack and see what I can do out of those things."
Born in 1991 with significant disabilities in all four limbs, Kelly was abandoned at a Baghdad orphanage with his brother who is also disabled.
Then in 1998, his life changed when he was brought to Australia for medical treatment by his-now adopted mum Moira Kelly.
"The day that mum - Moira Kelly, Aunty Moira as I called her then - came it was just an unbelivable day, one of those amazing days that you dream of."
He had surgery to remove the deformed sections of his lower legs, and was fitted for prosthetics.
Kelly learned to walk, then run - his natural athleticism leading him to join his local Australian rules football team for several years.
But once he got in the pool, his talent led to Paralymic selection in 2012.
Not an easy feat, according to the Australian Paralympic Committee's Tim Matthews.
"Just having a disability and playing sport doesn't entitle you to go to go to the Paralypic Games... For those who love it and want it enough it's a great opportunity."
Kelly came agonisingly close to a medal in London finishing 4th in the 50 metre breaststroke.
Over the next 12 months he's amped up his training schedule to 10 sessions a week in the hopes of going one better in Rio, and his coach Brad Harris is confident they'll get there.
"Our goal is to definitely win gold, but he's got a long way to go and the thing is he's doing every single session and he's pushing the boundaries of what he can do and you can only improve if that's the way you train."
And with his two little sisters - Bangladeshi twins Trishna and Krishna - watching on, Kelly is determined to show them that anything is possible.
"Trishna and Krishna are definitely some of my biggest fans, Krishna watches all the swimming on my iPad so it's so good to see that. So maybe I can get her in the pool in the next few years working towards a Paralympic Games, you don't know."
A new talent in the making, as Kelly works towards next year's Paralympic Games in September 2016.
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