Finn Murphy: 'The decision to amputate was wrapped in hope.' Photo / Paralympics NZ
Finn Murphy: 'The decision to amputate was wrapped in hope.' Photo / Paralympics NZ
The thought of having a limb amputated is a daunting prospect for most but for Auckland-based para-canoeist Finn Murphy, it was the easiest decision he’d ever made.
In constant pain and unable to live the life he wanted, Murphy made the difficult choice to have his right leg cut off below the knee almost a year after a catastrophic motorbike accident.
Now Murphy is in Poland preparing for his first international event at the para-canoe World Cup, as he begins his quest to qualify for the Los Angeles Paralympic games in 2028.
“For me, the decision to amputate was wrapped in hope,” said Murphy.
“Unlike many amputees where people wake up in hospital and it’s already gone, I was lucky to have the choice, and it made it easier to process.
“You might lose 4kg of bone, but you gain a whole new perspective. These days, my life is very similar to how it was before, and I can do about 99% of what I used to.
“What’s changed my life most hasn’t been losing the leg but getting back into sport. I never would’ve imagined being in Poland – but here I am."
Growing up, Murphy was heavily involved in sport playing rugby and football, but rowing was his forte. In 2016, he and his brother Eli won gold in the men’s club double sculls final at the national rowing championships.
But as he got older and became career-focused as a tradie, sport became less important and he was living life going through the motions.
On October 16 2021, also known as “Super Saturday” for Covid-19 vaccinations, his life changed.
With his car out of action, Murphy hopped on his motorbike to go and get vaccinated and that’s when disaster struck, after a van cut across his path when he was entering a petrol station.
With the van turning in front of him, Murphy slammed his brakes on at 70kp/h and went flying into the side of the vehicle.
His shattered leg was the least of his worries as Murphy also fractured his ribs, sternum, clavicle and spine, had a brain bleed and a pulmonary embolism. In all, he had 31 hours of surgery and spent nearly three weeks in hospital.
It took Murphy six months to be able to walk and it didn’t take long to realise life would be challenging if he kept his leg, with constant pain and discomfort.
The screws and bolts holding his leg together had shattered after a trip to the UK, which was the final straw and Murphy opted for amputation.
“The doctor told me I’d have the opposite problem to most amputees – I’d be too eager in recovery, push too hard,“ said Murphy.
Finn Murphy on Lake Pupuke. Photo / Paralympics NZ.
“Slowing down was a challenge. That over-eagerness probably contributed to complications.
“I held on to it for almost exactly a year – about 361 days – before I chose to amputate,” said Murphy.
“That time allowed me to come to terms with the fact that the leg I had wasn’t going to let me live the life I wanted.”
Unable to continue his work as a tradie, Murphy got back into studying with a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Auckland and always had para sports in his mind when considering amputation.
“One benefit of a life-changing injury is that people don’t question your decisions afterwards,” said Murphy.
“They just say, ‘I don’t know what I’d do in your situation’, which gave me space to say, I don’t want to do this anymore.”
He was eager to try sailing, weightlifting, athletics, rowing and canoeing, and received a response regarding the latter within 25 minutes of his initial email, which sealed the deal.
Despite his previous success as a rower, those skills didn’t translate to the canoe, and he admits there was a tough adjustment period, falling into the crisp waters of Lake Pupuke in Takapuna every day as he learned the art.
“They’re entirely different sports, apart from the fact that you’re in a boat on the water,” said Murphy.
“That’s what drew me to kayaking after my accident – I didn’t want to go back to something I’d already been decent at.
“I wanted a fresh start, where I had no history or expectations.”
Now Murphy is putting the paracanoe world on notice, thanks to his coach Gavin Elmiger, while working alongside former K1 200m world champion Aimee Fisher.
Paracanoe is often competed over 200m and Murphy competes in the KL3 class, which is essentially the people with the lowest level of impairment.
His journey to Los Angeles begins this week with his first international competition at the Paracanoe World Cup in Poland, where he will get to test himself against the world’s best, including current Paralympic champion Brahim Guendouz of Algeria.
Guendouz claimed gold with a blistering time of 39.91s, while Murphy’s best is 40.08s. His target is to do a sub-40s time in Poland.
“The goal now is to hit a world-record pace over 200m,” said Murphy.
“The times I’m doing are competitive. Being relatively new to kayaking – experience-wise, not age-wise – means I’ve still got room to improve.
“My targets are mostly performance-based right now, which is great. In New Zealand, it’s a small sport, so you don’t often get to test yourself against top-level competition. Being over here is a great chance to see where I stand.”
Finn Murphy on the water in his newfound oar sport. Photo / Paralympics NZ
Murphy credits the Para Sport Collective – supported by ACC - for being able to adjust.
“It brought athletes together who were facing similar challenges,” said Murphy.
