In fact, she never had any interest in sports up until that point. Fast forward to the present day and the 25-year-old has been named the Special Olympics Greater Canberra Female Athlete of the Year.

So what changed?

Braido experiences hypermobility in her joints which leaves her far more prone to injury and fatigue than most people, and also has a mild intellectual disability.

The first step towards her basketball career - although she didn't know at the time - was when she had corrective surgery on both feet to give her better balance.

The second was during a meeting with the National Disability Insurance Scheme, where it was suggested she get braces for her wrists and ankles.

"I'm now able to walk long distances. I can run, I can catch a ball properly without my wrist going right back, it's really, really helped," Braido says.

From there, Braido she was able to look into taking part in the NDIS's social groups, which included the Try a Sport program. There she tried swimming and tennis but it was basketball which she fell in love with - despite her petite 146-centimetre stature.

"I found that I really enjoyed basketball and after trying I thought 'this is really cool'," Braido says.

"I enjoy the aspect of the team and how we all come together and work together. And having the opportunity to try different places on the court so that when you find a spot that you like so you can kind of stay there was great.

"Because I'm short I can't play centre - they're usually just for tall people. So I play guard - that's what I like the most because I can run around and hit the ball out and just have a lot of fun defending our end of the court."

She played in the Ivor Burge league, through Sport Inclusion Australia, and eventually her coach she suggested to try out for the Special Olympics.

Braido was selected as the only Canberran in the New South Wales women's B grade team that competed at the Special Olympics National Games in Adelaide in 2018, and from there she was picked as one of eight players to represent Australia at the Special Olympics in her grade in Abu Dhabi.

"We played lots of different countries and went through our division undefeated, then we made the knockout stage against Spain and Japan and once again were undefeated," Braido says

"We took on Spain in the grand final and it was basket for basket. We were tied at the end so we went into extra-time, and in the last second of extra-time one of my friends shot a three-pointer and we won."

Braido now uses her own experience to help coach the next group of ACT athletes competing in the Special Olympics.

"It's a lot of fun and being able to help the other athletes is a lot more fun. Seeing that progression of other athletes is really cool to see," she says.

"It's time to have someone else to shine in that area."

But Braido hasn't quite given up on representing Australia again - she's planning on building her skills in table tennis.