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A wrestling prodigy
John Kinsela was born at Crown Street Hospital, Surry Hills in 1949 to a Wiradjuri father and a Jawoyn mother. The oldest of ten children, he grew up in Redfern and, at the age of 14, he left school to support his family. Initially, this involved working in a factory and doing a newspaper run.
Like many of his friends, Kinsela was keen to take up boxing, and one day, when he arrived for a boxing lesson at the Leichhardt Police Boys’ Club, the boxing trainer didn’t arrive, but the wrestling coach spotted his talent. Within three months, Kinsela had made the finals of the NSW state titles. Kinsela won the Australian wrestling championship and was selected for the 1968 Mexico Olympics in the 52 kg division. All this was achieved by the time he was 18 years old. Kinsella reflecting on his wrestling career, attributed his success to being fit and strategic, having the ability to outthink and outmanoeuvre his opponents.
From the Olympics to Vietnam
Following his return from the Olympics, Kinsela was called up for national service. He was required to report for service in Marrickville, where he was sent by bus to the Kapooka army base, south-west of Wagga Wagga, to undertake training for six weeks. While he was there, Kinsela elected to become a physical training instructor not only because of his athleticism but because the role would see him relocated to the School of Artillery in Sydney, close to his family. At the time, the School of Artillery had two schools – one at Holsworthy and one at North Head, Manly.
Kinsela was sent to Holsworthy for corps training and as there was no personal training instructor courses being conducted at that time, he volunteered for a tour of duty in Vietnam and completed jungle training school at Canungra, in south-east Queensland. In 1970, John Kinsela, flew to Nui Dat the location of the 1st Australian Task Force in Vietnam, and joined the 106 Battery, 4th Field Regiment. He spent a total of 10 months in Vietnam and missed representing Australia in the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh due to his national service.
On returning to Australia in 1971, Kinsela was deployed to Townsville, and then sent to complete the physical trainer course at the School of Artillery at North Head. In 1972, after leaving the army, Kinsela was selected to represent Australia in wrestling at the Munich Olympics, where he finished 7th in the 52 kg division. Regarding his fitness level after years of not competing, Kinsela commented that although he had not trained for two years for wrestling– “when I got out of the army I was super fit because of having done the physical training instructor’s course and I think that laid the base for my fitness; that’s why I did so well over in Munich” (City of Sydney Oral History Program. Transcript. John Kinsela. 14 November 2013, Blacktown). Kinsela was in the Olympic Village in Munich, when the terrorist group ‘Black September’ killed eleven Israeli athletes, including four from the wrestling team. The Australian wrestling team had trained with the Israeli team and had formed close bonds. Kinsela decided to retire after the Mexico Olympics
A short retirement
Kinsela married his wife Yvonne in 1972 and shortly afterwards, was coaxed out of retirement to represent Australia in the 1974 world wrestling championships in Istanbul. Missing the structure of army life, Kinsela joined the Army Reserve One Commando Company in 1978 and qualified for his Green Beret a year later. A highlight of his six-year Army Reserve career was being awarded, Commando of the Year in 1981. After leaving the Commandos, Kinsela worked as a courier. However, after suffering from PTSD, attributed to his Vietnam service. Kinsela required treatment and was hospitalised for a period. Continuing his interest in wrestling, Kinsela coached a number of Olympic and Commonwealth Games wrestlers and joined the board of Wrestling NSW.
A legacy of social justice
With a passion for social justice, Kinsela involved himself in community programs with the Aboriginal Community in Western Sydney. These roles included the successful circle sentencing program, being chairman of the Justice Group of Western Sydney, mentoring Aboriginal wrestlers, the Breaking Barriers youth program and the Elders on Campus, at Western Sydney University. John Kinsela was honoured with the Order of Australia medal in 2017, in recognition of his service to wrestling and youth.
Kinsela died in 2020, at the age of seventy. When reflecting on his success in life in an interview with Patrick Skene for the Guardian in 2016, John Kinsela stated- “The reason I did so well is that I was nurtured and now I am passing on someone else’s legacy. I’m doing things for other people and there’s nothing more important than giving back”.
References:
- City of Sydney Oral History Program. Transcript. John Kinsela. 14 November 2013. Blacktown. John Kinsela - Oral Histories (sydneyoralhistories.com.au)
- Skene Patrick, The forgotten story of …John Kinsela, the first Aboriginal Olympic wrestler. 15 June 2016. The Guardian The forgotten story of ... John Kinsela, the first Aboriginal Olympic wrestler | Rio 2016 | The Guardian
- Skene, Patrick. Indigenous wrestler and Vietnam veteran knew how to ‘give back’. 1 December 2020. The Sydney Morning Herald. Indigenous wrestler and Vietnam veteran knew how to 'give back' (smh.com.au)
Article was originally published on 30 November 2023.
