Curtis McGrath

Curtis Wain McGrath, (born 31 March 1988) is an Australian paracanoeist and former soldier. He took up canoeing competitively after both of his legs were amputated as a result of a mine blast while serving with the Australian Army in Afghanistan. McGrath won consecutive gold medals in the Men's KL2 at the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, His parents are Kimberley and Paul, and he has two siblings – Brent and Sophia. He grew up in Queenstown, New Zealand and attended Wakatipu High School. In his last year at high school, he was awarded the Bruce Grant Memorial Trophy for Outdoor Education. His family later relocated to Brisbane, Queensland. McGrath had a desire to become a jet pilot but became a combat engineer.

In 2024, he was appointed to the Paralympics Australia Board.

Military career McGrath joined the Australian Army in 2006. On 23 August 2012, as a combat engineer with the 6th Engineer Support Regiment, he was badly injured by an Improvised explosive device during operations in Khas Urozgan District, Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan.

Sporting career Prior to his military injury, McGrath was a keen white water canoeist, rugby player and swimmer.

McGrath took up paracanoe in December 2013. He originally competed in V1 (Va'a Outrigger Canoe) in the TA (Trunk and arms category). In 2014, he won the Australian and Oceania Championships in V1 200 m, 500 m and 1000 m events. His aim is to compete at the 2016 Summer Paralympics, where paracanoeing makes it debut. In September 2014, he captained the Australian Team at inaugural Invictus Games in London, and won a bronze medal in swimming and made the archery final. At the 2015 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, in Milan, Italy, he won a gold medal in the Men's V–1 200 m VL2 and a silver medal in the Men's K–1 200 m VL2. After winning the silver medal in the Paralympic Games event, McGrath said: "This is a whole new ball game for me, the boats are a lot faster, so I had to learn pretty quick".

At the 2016 ICF Paracanoe World Championships in Duisburg, Germany, McGrath won two gold medals in Men's KL2 200m and VL2 200m. In winning the Men's KL2 200m, a Paralympic Games event, he defeated six time world champion Markus Swoboda.

McGrath competed at 2016 Invictus Games in Orlando, Florida, where he won IR4 one minute row. He also competed in swimming events.

McGrath fulfilled his goal of winning the Men's KL2 200 m at the 2016 Rio Paralympics in a Paralympic record time of 42.190. It was Australia's first gold medal in paracanoe at the Paralympics.

At the 2017 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Račice, Czech Republic, McGrath won gold medals in Men's KL2 200m and VL2 200m. McGrath won gold medals in the Men's KL2 200m and Men's VL3 200m at the 2018 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Montemor-o-Velho, Portugal. It was his eight world championship gold medal.

At the 2019 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Szeged, Hungary, McGrath won gold medals in the Men's KL2 200m and Men's VL3 200m. At the 2020 Summer Paralympics, McGrath won gold in both the Men's KL2 and the Men's VL3. In the Men's KL2, McGrath came third in his Heat, and first in his Semi-Final. He won the final in a time of 41.426. In the Men's VL3 he was unbeatable in both his Heat and in the Final. His time in the Final was 50.537.

He was selected to compete at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris, France. In the lead up to the Paralympics, McGrath won gold and bronze medals at the 2024 ICF World Para Canoe Championships in Szeged, Hungary. At the Paralympics, he won gold in the KL2.

McGrath lives on the Gold Coast, Queensland and trains on the water at Varsity Lakes. He was originally coached by Andrea King. 2014 – Australian Canoeing Paracanoeist of the Year 2014 – The Courier-Mail McDonald's Queensland Athlete with a Disability Award 2014 – Para Performance of the Year – presented by Dairy Australia (Nomination) 2015 – Australian Canoeing Paracanoeist of the Year 2016 – Flag bearer for the Australian team at the Rio Paralympics Closing Ceremony 2016 – Finalist for 'The Don Award' Sport Australia Hall of Fame awards 2016 – Australian Canoeing Paracanoeist of the Year 2016 – Australian Canoeist of The Year – Olympic/Paralympic Class 2017 – Medal of the Order of Australia 2017 – Sportsman of the Year at the World Paddle Awards – the first Paralympic athlete to win the award 2017 – Australian Canoeing Paracanoeist of the Year 2018 – Paddle Australia Paracanoeist of the Year 2018 – Queensland Sport Athlete with a Disability 2019 – Paddle Australia Paracanoeist of the Year 2019 – Australian Institute of Sport Awards – Male Para-athlete of the Year 2020 - Paralympics Australia Male Athlete of the Year 2021 - Queensland Sport Athlete with a Disability 2021 - Paddle Australia's 'Paddler of the Year Award with Jessica Fox 2023 - Australian Sports Medal 2023 - Paddle Australia's 'Paddler of the Year Award with Jessica Fox 2024 - Queensland Academy of Sport Athlete Award (voted by the athletes) and Paralympic Athlete of the Cycle