Curtis McGrath has recounted the story of how he lost both his legs in an explosion in Afghanistan so many times it would be understandable if he’d had enough of talking about it.

But he hasn’t. Because every time he tells the story of how he stepped on an improvised explosive device in August of 2012, he has a flashback of events at the time that he had forgotten.

And he also knows, but claims to not understand completely why, people find his story inspiring.

“When I tell my story I’m not trying to force inspiration on anyone, and I don’t think that’s the intention of me being brought in to talk to anyone,” McGrath said on the eve of the ANZAC Day long weekend.

“It’s just more that you can take what you will out of my story, and if you find it inspiring or motivating, or you might find some lessons that I had to learn the hard way, that’s what it’s for.

“I don’t find it inspiring as such, but other people might.”

This weekend the Melbourne Australian Rules Football Club will fly McGrath to the Victorian capital to address its players before Sunday’s important clash against Richmond.

The Anzac weekend of football is always emotional, when every match will pay tribute to Australian and New Zealand soldiers who fought and who lost their lives in battle.

It’s fitting the New Zealand-born McGrath has been called upon to inspire young men heading out to do battle in the sporting arena.

McGrath is set to compete for Australia in the paracanoe at this year’s Paralympics. It will be the first time paracanoe has been contested at the Paralympics, and McGrath will be considered a strong gold medal prospect.

“For me, ANZAC Day is always a special day,” McGrath said.

“I think every day that I am alive is another ceremony as such, because I came very close to being one of those people that didn’t come home.”

Curtis McGrath is the epitome of the Australian soldier, the sort of bloke you would want fighting your battles for you.

It’s those same strengths which have made him such a formidable athlete. And it’s not just in paracanoe.

Next month McGrath will head to Orlando, Florida, to compete in the second Invictus Games, a multi-sport event which began in 2014 for wounded, injured or sick soldiers to come together in the sporting arena.

When McGrath competed in 2014 he came home with a silver and a bronze medal. Not from canoeing, but from swimming.

He also had a crack at archery.

This time round he’ll be competing in swimming and rowing. He’ll be doing breaststroke, freestyle and backstroke.

In true Curtis McGrath style, he’d like to do butterfly as well, except it’s not on the program. And while the competitive streak that courses through the McGrath veins will guarantee he’ll be giving it his all, the results aren’t that important.

“It’s good to keep in touch with the military side of the sport,” McGrath said.

“Because it’s new, and it’s an exciting avenue, I think you’ll find at this Paralympics coming up there will be a fair few veterans competing in it.

“It’s a bit of a break for me as well, in terms of doing something a wee bit different and keeping in touch with those military values.”

It’s also a chance to compare notes, but he says most of the stories are quite common.

“In a way all our stories are very similar,” he said.

“We’ve either been shot, or stepped on an IED, or witnessed something like that happening.

“We’ve all come from the same place to be there, and to be in the public eye. It’s a wee bit different to what we are used to.

“It’s a great celebration of what we have achieved from our recovery, and I think sport helps heal.”