John Kinsela

John Kinsela, who competed at the 1968 and 1972 Olympics, was the first Australian Aborigine to wrestle at the Olympics. Kinsela was born to a Wiradjuri father and a Jawoyn mother. Kinsela started out in sports as a boxer, and took up wrestling when his trainer did not show up one day, and the wrestling coach invited him to try that sport. Between Olympics, Kinsela fought in Vietnam with the Royal Australian Artillery. He left the military around the time of München, but later came of retirement and wrestled at the 1974 World Championships. He then re-upped and joined the 1st Commando Regiment, serving for six more years, and being named Commando of the Year in 1981.

Kinsela had problems after the military with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), but worked to overcome them. He became a much-beloved wrestling coach at the Mount Druitt Police Citizens Youth Club in Sydney, where he taught for several years.