Springwood veteran Craig McGrath returns home with not one but two medals from the Invictus Games and a brief encounter with the Royals.
Mr McGrath and Scott Reynolds were presented with silver medals from the Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle, for their second placing in a driving challenge not officially part of the games.
“Meghan seemed really nice. She looked like she was happy to be there. She had a smile on her face all day,” Mr McGrath said.
The gold-medal winning French team received their medals from Prince Harry.
The Royals were back again to watch Mr McGrath and his team-mates claim gold in his primary event, the sailing, on Sunday.
“They were at the finish line alongside of us [on a boat] to congratulate us,” Mr McGrath said. “That was kind of nice. It was a bit of a surprise how they got there so quickly.”
In the final, Australia took the lead halfway through the second leg, with Mr McGrath spurred on by Blue Mountains supporters.
“There were a heap of Blue Mountains people screaming, it was all I could hear was them screaming when I came around the mark [opposite the Opera House],” the 45-year-old said.
“It was quite emotional.
“There was a lot of pressure going in, but we more than prepared,” Mr McGrath said.
There were a heap of Blue Mountains people screaming, it was all I could hear was them screaming when I came around the mark.
- Craig McGrath
“The Danes stuck out as the ones to watch.”
In the end the Danes were second and the Dutch third.
While the team had plenty to celebrate at an after party on Sunday night, they still paused to reflect on the race.
“You learn more from your losses than your wins,” Mr McGrath said.
“We’re pretty happy with the performance and are looking towards a local regatta with a veterans team. We want to get back into local racing and keep our hand in.”
Mr McGrath was serving in Afghanistan in 2012 when he and the other soldiers in his unit walked into a booby trapped mudwall compound. He was five metres from the bomb when it exploded, sustaining shrapnel wounds to his ankle, hip, knee and shoulder, a broken leg and busted eardrums.
The physical injuries he’s sustained has meant he’s been unable to return to the army, and was medically discharged in June.
