Australia's latest Invictus Games medallist has fought back tears while paying tribute to his late sister and father in The Hague.
Gabriel Ramon won silver in the Men's IF4 shot put on day three of the Invictus Games, a tournament designed to generate a wider understanding and respect for wounded, injured and sick service men and women.
"I'm still on a bit of a high, I honestly didn't expect to get a medal. I just expected to go out there and have a good throw and do the best I could," Ramon told ABC Sport.
"It's kind of emotional but I'm trying to keep it in."
Ramon — who comes from Newcastle but is based in the Queensland town of Yeppoon — fought back tears as he dedicated his victory to his sister and father, who both died in 2020.
"My sister, I lost her in 2020 and my father in 2020," he said.
"It was pretty hard. Also I wanted to do it for myself. So that was a tough, tough year.
"So … I got here."
The 39-year-old competes in the athletics, powerlifting and indoor rowing events, having ruptured a ligament in his right knee during field training in 2017.
Ramon also suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.
"It's just the beginning. We're day by day at the moment. I just got through this. I just got through yesterday for the fun of it, and we'll get through today," he said.
"I hope to see this again in a year or two. I hope there's more for me in the tank to give."
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