At the "grand old age of 41," with a career tally of one gold, two silvers, and three bronzes, Greaves personifies the advice a coach once gave him: "Success isn't final, failure isn't fatal, it's the courage to continue that counts."

Greaves competes in the F64 category, which includes field athletes with moderately affected movement in one or both legs or those missing limbs. He's now looking to dethrone his great rival, Jeremy Campbell of the United States, who, like Greaves, has elevated the sport to new heights.

In 2001, Greaves was selected alongside four-time Olympic champion Farah and Goldie Sayers, who later won javelin bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, to represent Britain against the United States in an Under-20 international match. This came a year after Greaves had won silver at the Sydney Paralympics, competing due to his foot deformity, talipes (club foot).

"I speak to Goldie now and again," Greaves told AFP. "People like to say they competed with the first Paralympian to appear in an able-bodied competition for Britain. Some of that team say to me they cannot believe 'you are still going' when in their early 20s they gave up after being a junior. I look back and see they had a different life for the last 20 years which is fine as everyone picks their own path. This sport has been very kind to me, I have made friends and been up against some tough competitors. It has kept me motivated."

A key motivator for Greaves is Campbell, who is four years younger and a three-time Paralympic discus champion (he also won the pentathlon title in 2008). "Jeremy Campbell came out of the woodwork in 2008," said Greaves, who was defending his title in Beijing. "He is a friend now, but I hated him then. I had not taken my foot off the gas, and I was unbeaten for eight years (since taking silver in Sydney in 2000). I went in in good shape but did not execute and came third, it was a real kick in the teeth."

Greaves used that setback as fuel to improve. "It sparked me into pushing myself on, and the sport as well, throwing close to 60 metres when I won the 2011 world championships (59.98 metres, a world record at the time). Here it will take high 50's, low 60's to get a medal, and Jeremy and I have been the vehicle for that. I am sure when he gets out of bed every morning, he thinks what am I doing, and I am the same."

One of the things that delights Greaves the most is that his two children, Henry, 7, and Matilda, 5, will be in the crowd at the Stade de France when he competes on 5 September. "I do everything for my kids and to make them understand to be successful, you have to be dedicated and motivated," he said. "That you should never let go and always be aware of your self-worth. They saw me come back from Tokyo with a medal, which they absolutely loved, but now they will be here in the crowd as they are old enough to understand what it is all about."

Henry has continued a family tradition by accompanying his dad to Aston Villa home games, just as Dan did with his father, although he hasn’t yet collected the old team shirts that Greaves has stashed away. Greaves keeps those hidden from his wife, "in a bag in a cupboard, and I am determined to keep them," though Henry has inherited one of his father’s old favorites. "It is funny the Spanish team I supported back in the day, Barcelona, the shirt fits Henry aged seven," said Greaves. "Just as it fitted me when I was seven."