Luke mcCallum
DoD Warrior Games 2024 Team Australia Competitor
ADF service: I joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1997, four weeks after my 17th birthday. I was one of four under 18-year-olds in my division at recruit school. It made for a very interesting first year of service. I served for almost 20 years as a Communications and Information Systems Sailor. My role included running every type of communications into and out of the ship, from emails received over a satellite link to coded signals via visual Morse code. My service took me on operations all over the world, including the Solomon Islands in 2000 and 2002, East Timor in 2001, the Middle East in 2002 and 2004, and border protection duties around the approaches to Australia from 2001 to 2005.
Other information: I have two sons, Austin (14) and Finn (9), two sausage dogs, Hannah and Rupert (Rupert is my blind from birth rescue puppy), and one basset hound named Rosie. Since leaving the Navy, I have worked in the private sector, largely for Defence and other government agencies.
Age: 44
Hometown: Broken Hill, New South Wales
Current town: Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Competing in: Athletics, indoor rowing, power lifting, shooting and sitting volleyball
What is the nature of your injury or illness? Early in my career I suffered a significant lower limb injury fast-roping from a helicopter. I got really knocked around and it took a long time to recover, but I did get myself back up and was able to continue to serve. Over time, the injuries continued to get worse and deteriorated to the point that an infection in my right leg compromised the metal in my foot and got into the bone, necessitating a below knee amputation.
Sport background: I had the typical 80s and 90s country town sports experience growing up. Cricket in the summer, AFL in the winter. I even got into lawn bowls in my teenage years, and I absolutely loved it. I then got to play lawn bowls during my time in the Navy, representing the ACT and the Navy on numerous occasions. I recently got into adaptive sports, and have competed in indoor rowing and wheelchair AFL, and have tried dragon boating, archery and pickle ball.
What role has sport played in your rehabilitation? It took months for me to get back on my feet again after a gruelling rehabilitation program. I “earned” my first prosthesis. Whilst it was great to get some sort of independence back and enjoy better quality of life from being in less pain, I entered a period of depression and anxiety. This lasted until I had a light bulb moment in June 2023 when I discovered an indoor rowing program. Being involved in sport has made me a better father to my sons, made me take much more pride in my work and look forward to the challenges life presents me. Nothing will give me my leg back, but I can still achieve anything I put my mind to.
How did you feel when you were told you made the Warrior Games team? In the words of my son, I was “really hyped up…. pumped!” I found out I had been selected while I was having a drink break during wheelchair AFL training. I found it quite appropriate I found out while participating in one of the adaptive sports that was my gateway to the Games.
What is your greatest achievement to date? In a sporting context, being able to medal at state and national level indoor rowing competitions in 2023 (just months after first participating in the sport through an Invictus Pathways Program) was an amazing experience. Having my youngest son see me compete and tell me he was proud of me, whatever the results might be, still brings a tear to my eye.
Why did you apply for Warrior Games?
I was looking for my tribe. I was looking to regain that feeling you get when you put on a uniform and work with amazing people to overcome adversity and achieve the mission provided. I wanted to be surrounded by people who had a shared lived experience, who wanted to conquer those same fears I had, who wanted to show that, like me, they were not defined by the injuries that brought us together.
What will “winning” look like for you at the Games? A win for me is being able to step up on the international stage, surrounded by my teammates, knowing I have given my all and, regardless of any result, I have made my team, my family and my country proud.
Who is supporting you at the Games? Unfortunately, I won’t have anyone supporting me at the Games, but many family and friends will be watching all of Team Australia compete on livestreams.
