Paris 2024: Australian Curtis McGrath continues golden legacy

Australian Curtis McGrath has won his third consecutive gold medal in the men’s kayak 07 Sep 2024

Curtis McGrath took gold again having won in Rio and Tokyo

ⒸSteph Chambers/Getty Images

By Lisa Martin | For the IPC

Defending Para canoe champion Curtis McGrath has some shiny show and tell for his newborn baby son – a gold medal from the Paris 2024 Paralympics.  

McGrath crossed the line in 41.31 seconds ahead of Great Britain’s David Phillipson and Mykola Syniuk from Ukraine in the Kayak Single 200m KL2 at Vaires-sur-Marne Stadium.  

He won the same event at the Tokyo and Rio Games.  

The 36-year-old became a father in July and his son Monty had a rare congenital heart defect known as transposition of the great arteries and needed open heart surgery.    

"Crossing the line (I did think about my son),” McGrath told reporters after his victory.   

“His and my wife's names are written on my boat, and it's a nice reminder that they're along here in spirit with me.”  

There were a lot of emotions in the lead-up to race day, he noted. 

In addition to focusing on his competition, he’s been busy offering emotional support to his wife, Rachel, back home as she cares for Monty, who was discharged from the hospital last week.  

“I’m just so proud to produce a performance just for them,” he said.  

Curtis McGrath takes gold with Great Britain’s David Phillipson the silver and Mykola Syniuk from Ukraine bronze © Steph Chambers/Getty Images

The military veteran lost both his legs while serving as a combat engineer for the Australian Army in Afghanistan in 2012.     

Along with his brother and father, a crew of former Australian Army buddies who he served with in Afghanistan and East Timor came to Paris to cheer him on.  

“They were the ones carrying my stretcher and putting the tourniquets on and literally saving my life,” he said.  

“In the traumatic moment of that blast, they were with me and they are still supporting me. It was very special to have them here.”  

Last hurrah  

McGrath will turn his attention to defending his title in the men's Va'a Single 200m – VL3 on Sunday. He won his heat Friday so goes straight to the final.  

“(Sunday’s) my last race in the (Va'a) competitively. I will be saying goodbye to that. The body is just a bit old and I’m not enjoying that too much. It’s a boat that really demands a lot,” he said.  

“It’s going to be tough. The guys there are all stepping up.”  

But he said he’ll aim for another Games in the kayak.  

The weather conditions might make the race extra challenging with stronger winds expected.  

Wiggs conquers  

Emma Wiggs celebrates her gold medal in Paris © Steph Chambers/Getty Images

Great Britain Para canoeist Emma Wiggs upstaged her opponents in the women’s Va'a Single 200m – VL2, powering home in 58.88 seconds ahead of Canada’s Brianna Hennessy and Australia’s Susan Seipel.  

“I was a bit worried when I got my race number because my race number is 44, which is my age. I thought that was a bad omen. I thought ‘Oh Crikey this is going to be bad'," she laughed.

“But it shows that it’s just a number. I love being alongside people who are making the best of this incredible opportunity to be world-class athletes. I’m genuinely chuffed for every single one of them.”  

She now focuses on Sunday’s women's kayak single 200m - KL2 semifinal. 

Wiggs, who has a date with a surgeon’s knife next week, said she’s unsure about her racing future.  

“My father and stepmother live in Houston Texas. I think they are pushing for me to carry on. I’ll have to go and talk to my wife and see what happens."

It was a tough few years since Tokyo for Wiggs, with a shoulder injury and having to find a new coach. 

“It’s the ups and downs of sport,” she said.  

But it still makes her heart sing. 

“I never ever get up and think, 'I’ve got to go to work,’” she said. “Even when it’s horrible, horrendous weather in Nottingham I just think: ‘Let’s get at it.’”  

She drew on the energy of her 38-member strong fan club in the crowd.  

“I looked up and I could see these red T-shirts and I knew they were my lot. I just went for it,” Wiggs said.  

“I just made every stroke for them,” she said. 

Catch McGrath and Wiggs in action Sunday as Para Canoe wraps up. 

See the full Para canoe schedule and results.