Veteran takes back control after Black Hawk downed

A Terranora war veteran who was in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan will compete at the 2018 Invictus Games.

FIGHTING BACK: New Terranora local Peter Rudlan will compete in the wheelchair rugby at the 2018 Invictus Games. Picture: Scott Powick

NOT many people can experience a major helicopter crash and come out to tell the tale.

But Australian Defence Force veteran and new Terranora local Peter Rudland is one of them.

On June 21, 2010, Peter was one of 15 troops on a Black Hawk helicopter in Afghanistan, which was flying in the dead of night just three minutes away from Taliban insurgents, when it crashed.

Three Australians and one American died, while seven were injured.

Peter, who was a commando sitting at the entrance of the helicopter, was thrown 35 metres from the downed chopper and broke his back, pelvis and knee, among other injuries.

His rifle was left embedded all the way through his leg, almost tearing it off.

"It was so black I couldn't see my hand in front of my face,” Peter said.

"We were flying at around 1000 feet but at three minutes we flew down to about 50 feet and hugged the earth's surface, what that does is mask where you're coming from and conceals your approach.

"As the helicopter came down, the front wheels just clipped the ground and it flipped the chopper over.”

Peter Rudland in the same Black Hawk helicopter which crashed on June 21, 2010 in Afghanistan, leaving four dead.

Following the dramatic crash, all of the wounded soldiers were evacuated to Germany.

"Once I got out of hospital I really couldn't do anything as I had injuries to my whole body, I was in a really bad place for a really long time and was just trying to walk again, trying to understand what happens from now, obviously my career was over,” Peter said.

"I moved back to Western Australia and was isolated from all my mates, I started to put on weight as I couldn't run, I couldn't swim, I couldn't bike ride.”

On a later visit to America, Peter was introduced to the Warrior Games, a multi-sport event for US injured veterans.

While there, he spoke to a bike coach who asked him if he had tried riding a recumbent bike, which involves the rider lying down.

"He put me on it and I went for a ride and I had no pain, it was just the perfect exercise,” he said.

"I was supposed to go for a 10 minute ride around the base and 40 minutes later they were telling me to come back.”

Soon after, Peter found he had been chosen to represent Australia in the 2016 Invictus Games, an international sports event created by Prince Harry for injured army veterans and personnel.

"I had only ridden one once and only just found out I could ride, the best thing about Invictus was I was really looking for something that would make me, me again,” he said.

"In my first race I was coming dead last, people were lapping me but I had a big grin on my face because I was actually getting to do something that I could do by myself.”

Having found his niche, Peter saved up to buy a recumbent bike and trained every day his body would let him.

Peter Rudland won two gold medals competing on a recumbent bike at the 2017 Invictus Games as the Australian captain.

He later received a phone call asking if he would be the Australian co-captain for the 2017 Invictus Games, where he won two gold medals.

Peter said the wins were a "proud moment” and hoped he could replicate his new found success at the 2018 Invictus Games in Sydney, where he will also compete in wheelchair rugby.

"Collectively, I hope Australia does really well and hope Australians get behind Invictus, I also really hope I can pull off back to back gold medals,” he said.

Peter is also looking forward to meeting up with Prince Harry, someone he has formed a friendship with since he first met him at the Invictus Games in 2016.

"The first time I met him was at the Games in the States, he's very approachable, he would come and sit next to you, we were watching the volleyball and he started chatting and having a laugh,” he said.

"After being made captain last year I got to go to a couple of functions with him and got to know him a little bit better and the engagement with him was much more, we have a good old crack when we're together.”

Now living in Terranora with his wife Tamara, who grew up in Kingscliff, Peter said he "couldn't fault” the area.

"This place is just beautiful, everyone is friendly here, when you walk down the road people say g'day to you and look you in the eye. People don't do that in Perth anymore,” he said.

"I cannot fault this town, it's got everything I want.”

Peter said he wanted to send out a message to wounded veterans and former army personnel who weren't quite sure about their direction in life.

"For any soldiers, the Invictus experience is there for veterans to have, if you have mental health dramas, physical dramas, get out there, put your applications in for the next one,” he said.

"There's no reason for you to be sitting at home, try the experience, see how it goes.”

Peter also wanted to thank Twin Towns, who have helped him by purchasing specialised equipment including new wheels for his rugby wheelchair and some much-needed spare parts.