Former Olympic wrestler John Kinsela from Blacktown awarded an Order of Australia Medal

Olympian, Vietnam veteran and indigenous advocate; John Kinsela has lived a fascinating life, which is now being recognised with an OAM.

John Kinsela, pictured at the Mt Druitt PCYC, has been awarded an OAM for his services to wrestling and youth. Picture: Justin Sanson

• Kings Langley Scout Leader takes top medal
• Seven Hills' firey shows what is achievable

Veteran, elder and Olympian; John Kinsela has lived many lives during his almost 70 years. He has been a champion of indigenous soldiers’ recognition after serving in the Vietnam War, a two-time Olympian at the 1968 Mexico and 1972 Munich Games and most recently a mentor to young wrestlers at Mount Druitt’s PCYC.

“I don’t get on the mat anymore,” Mr Kinsela, 68, from Blacktown, said. “I’m a bit too old, but I see what they’re doing, I’m watching.”

Mr Kinsela was awarded the Order of Australia medal as part of the Queen’s Birthday honours for his service to wrestling and to youth, despite the secrecy of the award, he said he had an inkling that the honour would be coming his way.

The early days of wrestling for John Kinsela OAM in 1968. Picture supplied by John Kinsela

Kinsela learnt a lot about wrestling and himself at the 1968 Mexico Olympics. Picture supplied by John Kinsela

“I went to Adelaide for the ANZAC day ceremony as a guest speaker, and on the program they had me down as John OAM,” Mr Kinsela said.

“I asked them ‘do you know something that I don’t?’” he laughed.

As a life member of NSW wrestling and a volunteer coach, Mr Kinsela now says he’s too old to run the one-on-one wrestling classes, and has passed the torch to long-time friend and protégé Wally Koenig.

“Wally’s been looking after the boys, he’s gone with them to their competitions and travels with them,” Mr Kinsela said.

Kinsela pictured training with South Korean and Soviet wrestlers in Mexico in 1968. Photograph: courtesy of John Kinsela

His career and eventual love of wrestling was purely serendipitous, with Mr Kinsela first thinking of following boxing.

“I fell into it, in a way,” Mr Kinsela said. “My boxing trainer didn’t show up and a wrestling trainer did, so I joined them.

“It’s very strategic; it’s all about the mind.”

John Kinsela (second from right) at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Picture supplied by John Kinsela

Life has never been easy for Mr Kinsela, as the first indigenous Olympian, a commando on the front line in the Vietnam War and a witness to the deadly Munich Olympics attacks, he is also a juror and the former chair of the Circle Sentencing Justice Group — an alternative method of sentencing for Aboriginal offenders, continuing his pattern of being a trail blazer on and off the mat.

Known affectionately at the PCYC club as Uncle John; Mr Kinsela sees bright things for wrestling in the area, but has more faith in the young people he sees each day.

“They’re good boys,” he said. “I’m proud of them.”