Tallent is one of a dozen Olympic and Paralympic athletes using crowd-sourced funding to help finance their pursuit of glory at the Rio Games.

Modern sports stars have become synonymous with wealth and fame, but the misconception of just how much athletes earn is distorted.

Tallent is seeking $5000 to fund his pre-Olympic training camps while younger sister Rachel, also a walker, is hoping to raise $2000 via individual donations for her first Games.

Gold-medal boxing hope Shelley Watts, middle-distance runner Melissa Duncan and swimmer Mack Horton are among the athletes using the Australian Sports Foundation for help.

Rachel Tallent still works part-time as a tour guide at the AIS and will be joining her brother at a pre-Olympic camp in Switzerland.

Rachel said she is on the lower spectrum of the payments allocated from Athletics Australia and the government.

"It depends on how far up you are, I'm only right at the bottom," she laughed. "I get given $4000 for accommodation and to help with the flights and expenses while I'm away on my training camp."

"I was just added to the National Athlete Support Scheme in May, which means I'm on the developmental level so I get another $3000."

The combined $7000 may seem sufficient to some, but is minimal considering the dedication to training and the expenses that need to be paid.

Rachel has gone to train at the resort town of St Moritz to capitalise on the altitude conditions, and she even needs to contribute to the rental of a car.

"I've got to pay for my rent back home, so at the end of it I won't have any money. I don't want to run out of money," Rachel said.

Another misconception about the financial capabilities of some of the athletes who have registered for fundraising is that only obscure and amateur sports receive low funding.

But the shift to the Winning Edge funding program by the AIS, Australian Sports Commission and federal government means individual sports choose how to allocate funding to athletes.

As well as the Tallents, Rhydian Cowley, Madeline Hills, Victoria Mitchell, Tanya Holliday, and Melissa Duncan are all track and field athletes requiring assistance.

Duncan has progressed to the final in her 1500 metres event at multiple international competitions, but when she injured her foot last year she had to commit to living and training at the AIS for a few months in order to properly rehabilitate in time to compete at the Games.

She had to pay $10,000 out of her own pocket.

ASF chief executive Patrick Walker said the financial burden is an unwanted distraction for competitors who the sports-loving nation is praying will be successful.

"We're talking about relatively small amounts of money here; most athletes are looking to raise $5000 to $10,000 and that is going to enable them to focus on training, and preparing and performing at their best," Walker said. "And not be thinking; can I pay my coach? Can I afford to get my coach to travel out to my training camp?"

Walker said the tax-deductable donations are also a good way for members of the public to show support and join them on their journey.

"A lot of them are working holding down jobs and training, a lot of them are working part time, a lot of them funding things like training costs, medical expenses, or travel out of their own pockets."

"We thought this is a need, we thought the public would want to support these guys if they knew the dire financial straits many of them are in."

More information on donations can be found at: https://asf.org.au/our-athlete/