Fourth place. There’s probably no worse place to finish at the Paralympics.

That’s how New Zealand Para canoe rep Scott Martlew sees it after coming agonisingly close – he missed out by 0.3 seconds – to winning his first medal in the 200m KL2 final at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.

Fastest in the heats, Martlew finished in fourth place in a time of 42.880 behind Curtis McGrath (Australia), Mykola Syniuk (Ukraine) and Federico Mancarella (Italy). 

That near miss has stayed with Martlew over the past three years and has fuelled his training every day as he looks to get on the Paralympics podium in Paris next year.

“I’d worked so hard and picked up a few medals a few years before so to miss out by the smallest of margins, it was painful,” says the 30-year-old.  

“There were a lot of learnings from Tokyo. I’ve reflected a lot on it and analysed where we might have gone wrong and, and where we can improve.

“It’s all part of my journey to be ready to go again in Paris.”

On the weekend, Martlew finished fourth in the KL2 200 at the ICF Canoe Sprint & Paracanoe World Championships in Germany.

His performance secures a place for New Zealand in that event in the Paralympics. Competing as a Paralympian is worlds away from where Martlew has been.

In May 2010, Martlew lined up for the Shirley Boys High School First XV in a curtain-raiser to the Crusaders v Brumbies Super Rugby clash at AMI Stadium.

The Crusaders back then were stacked with greats of the game, like Richie McCaw and Daniel Carter, and Martlew remembers the excitement amongst the lads ahead of the game.

“Everyone was pumped,” says the former lock – blindside flanker.  “Playing in front of some All Black legends was a dream come true for all of us.”

But that dream turned into a nightmare for the 17-year-old.  

Midway through the first half, he copped an accidental knee to his thigh. He was in a bit of pain, but he ran it off and thought nothing of it.

“I played pretty well,” he says. “I scored the last try of the game which was a cool moment. Some of the details after that are a bit hazy.” 

Six days later he was in ICU at Christchurch Hospital battling necrotising fasciitis – a serious bacterial infection that results in the death of the body's soft tissue. It claimed his left leg, part of his buttock, and very nearly his life as he lay in an induced coma.

“It was terrifying,” he says.

Martlew’s condition deteriorated quickly, and his body started shutting down. He was rushed into surgery.

“My parents had to make the call whether to amputate my leg or not. If they didn't, I probably wouldn't be here today.”

Martlew was a sports-mad teenager. He loved rugby, getting out for a run on the roads and kayaking. Waking up in hospital with his leg amputated was a frightening experience.

“Although I’d been told I've lost my leg, I couldn't believe it because I could still kind of feel it there.

“So I was like: ‘Are you serious?’ It was a very traumatic time, and it was a long road to recovery.”

He was in hospital for four weeks after his operation.

Martlew says ACC has been a huge help in his recovery.

“They’ve been there in every step of my journey and that support helped me to start again.”

Sitting on his hospital bed, Martlew said to himself: ‘I’m not letting this injury hold me back and whatever happens, I’m going to make the most out of life’.”

When he was out of hospital, some good mates from South Brighton Surf Club encouraged him to get back in the boat again, which proved was a turning point.  

Martlew and his twin brother Michael got into dragon-boating as preseason rugby training, which developed a love for water sports and lead to surf lifesaving and kayaking.

Around the same time, Para canoe was included in the 2016 Rio Paralympics for the first time.

“All of a sudden I had something to aim for – I could try to become a Paralympian.”

Martlew has endured plenty of ups and down throughout his life, but he has always fought hard to win the mental battle.

“Sport has been a big part of that and also having good mates around me who I can be honest with.”  

When he lost his leg, Martlew says it was easy to think everyone was looking at him.

“Obviously losing your leg is a big thing to go through and it changes your whole self-image and appearance,” he says.

“But I didn't hide away. People will look at you and you've got to kind of accept that that’s normal.  You can't let what you look like hold you back from anything. Adapt and get out there and do it.” 

ACC is a community partner of Paralympics New Zealand. They believe participation in Para sport has a positive impact on wellbeing and rehabilitation.

“We see first-hand the difference sport can make to people after a life-changing accident,” says ACC CEO Megan Main. “We want to generate opportunities for disabled New Zealanders – many of our clients included – to participate and compete in Para sport.”

Martlew says getting back on the water after his injury was the best feeling.

“I love to compete. I love being out there with my mates on the water.  And the best thing is making progress and improving each day to try and be better than you were.”

After the heartbreak in Tokyo, Martlew is motivated to show his ability on the world stage in Paris.

“This has been three years in the making and I’ll be ready,” he says.

When times get tough, Martlew will call on an old mantra from his First XV rugby days. 

“The mantra was: ‘Never give up. Never back down.’ And over the years that has been a big part of my story.”