Aussie vets dominate wheelchair rugby

Like Thurston, Wright is from Queensland. He joined the army in 1986, served in Timor in 1999 and was medically discharged as a warrant officer in 2003 due to a knee injury. Following a motorcycle accident after discharge became paraplegic and incurred vision loss among many other injuries.

"I was paralyzed, had severe head injuries, had a head injury after the accident," he said in Sydney this week.

But you will hear no matter what with the husky voice, who also has suffered post-traumatic stress disorder.

"I have not gotten around moping or whinging – and that's the most important thing," he said. "Just getting here for us is the victory," he said of the games for wounded soldiers and veterans.

"For me playing adaptive sports – first wheelchair basketball – was the best thing I've ever done in my life – and this year's Invictus Games in Sydney" he said.

Wright, whose three children have been cheering him on the sidelines, and he has been invited to participate in the tournament. but how did they themselves?

"Some of us are visibly struggling with mobility issues, but we are doing a great job just to get here," he said.

Australia's five pool victories pushed the team through to the finals on Thursday, and crowds started at homebush an hour before the event, such is the popularity of the sport some call "murderball," one of the most popular Invictus events.

The Australians continued their winning form, beating France 32-15 in their semi-final to advance the gold medal match against the UK on Thursday night.

Curtain raiser to the main event was a celebrity wheelchair rugby exhibition match, which included an Australian rugby union center, Rob Horne and British rugby league and star unionist Jason Robinson. Other Philanthropists including Phil Waugh, Dean Mumm, Adam Freier, Stephen Hoiles and Cam Shepherd, also took part.

Ryley Batt, who won two wheelchair rugby gold medals and one silver medal for Australia at the Paralympic Games, has been the commentator for the event at the Invictus games.

"It is an honor to have one's eyes on us – he is the Michael Jordan of wheelchair rugby," Wright said.