Veteran who lost both his legs honoured for outstanding sporting achievement
Former elite commando Damien Thomlinson has won the Sir Roden Cutler Award for outstanding sporting achievement by an athlete with a disability.
Damien was horrifically injured by an improvised bomb in Afghanistan while serving with the Australian Army in April, 2009.
Both his legs had to be amputated, and they say it’s a miracle he wasn’t killed.
While most would struggle to overcome such injuries, Damien saw it as a challenge to beat, and beat it he did.
He’s since competed at two Invictus Games and in 2010, he walked the Kokoda Track in memory of a friend who was killed in Afghanistan.
Last night, Damien was presented with the 2018 Sir Rode Cutler Award.
He tells Chris Smith he was “truly shocked”.
“I was blown away more than anything… just humbled.
Looking back at the moment that changed his life dramatically in 2009, Damien says he remembers “nothing”.
“I can’t remember two days before it… faded memories of that now.
Click PLAY below to hear the full interview
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