Curtis McGrath OAM, OLY
Paracanoeist, Former Combat Engineer, Broadcaster & Keynote Speaker
Australian Paralympian, former Army combat engineer, and three-time gold medallist, Curtis McGrath turned tragedy into triumph after losing both legs in Afghanistan. Today, he inspires audiences worldwide with his story of courage, resilience, and the transformative power of sport. Paralympic champion, Invictus Games ambassador, and board member of Paralympics Australia, Curtis shares insights on overcoming adversity, achieving goals, and harnessing sport as a tool for healing and motivation.
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Curtis McGrath is a decorated Australian Paralympian, former Army combat engineer, and inspiring advocate for rehabilitation, resilience, and the transformative power of sport. After a life-changing injury in Afghanistan, Curtis became one of the world’s most successful paracanoeists, a Paralympic champion, and a role model for courage, determination, and leadership.
Curtis enlisted in the Australian Army in 2006 at the age of 18, serving as a combat engineer with the mission to “provide mobility while denying the enemy mobility.” On 23 August 2012, during deployment in Afghanistan, Curtis stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED), resulting in the loss of both legs. Remarkably, just moments after the blast, Curtis was already joking with his rescuers about becoming a Paralympian—a testament to his determination and resilient outlook.
Following rehabilitation, Curtis experimented with several sports before focusing on canoeing, an activity he had enjoyed at school. Less than two years after becoming a bilateral amputee, he was competing at the national level in sprint canoeing. After the International Paralympic Committee switched to sprint kayak, Curtis adapted rapidly, training twelve times a week under elite coach Guy Powers.
Curtis’s competitive record is extraordinary. He has won gold medals at the ICF Paracanoe World Championships from 2016 to 2019, and he is a three-time Paralympic gold medallist, winning the Men’s 200m KL2 kayak event at Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, and Paris 2024. He has also dominated at Oceania Sprint Canoe Championships, World Cups, and other international events.
Beyond his sporting achievements, Curtis is deeply involved in advocacy and community engagement. He captained the inaugural Australian team at the Invictus Games in London 2014 and has remained an active ambassador for the movement, participating in 2016, 2017, and serving as ambassador for Sydney 2018. In 2024, he was appointed to the Paralympics Australia Board. Curtis has delivered inspiring speeches at numerous public and private events, including the 2017 ANZAC Day National Address at the Australian War Memorial before 38,000 attendees, sharing his insights on resilience, rehabilitation, and the power of sport.
His contributions have been widely recognised: in 2017, Curtis became the first Paralympic athlete to be named Sportsman of the Year at the World Paddle Awards and was awarded Australian Canoeing Paracanoeist of the Year. He was also honoured with the Order of Australia Medal for his service to sport and the community.
Curtis McGrath embodies courage, determination, and the transformative power of sport, inspiring people and organisations worldwide to overcome adversity and achieve their goals.
