John McRae participated in two sports at the World Deaf Games in Helsinki, Finland – the indoor men’s basketball, and wrestling. It was in the Wrestling Greco-Roman (67-73kg) category that John won a bronze medal. In the same Games, he also won another medal, a silver medal in the Wrestling Freestyle (67-73kg) category.

In John’s Auckland wrestling career, he won numerous awards with the Auckland Wrestling Association: 1947 – A.W.A. Junior Welter Weight Championship Runner-Up; 1949 – A.W.A. Light Weight Championship; 1949 – A.W.A. J.O’Hanlon Cup; Most Improved Wrestler; 1950 – A.W.A. Light Weight Chamionship; 1950 – A.W.A. Inter-Gym Light Weight; 1951 – A.W.A. Light Weight Championships Runner-Up; 1952 – AW.A. Welter-Weight Championship; 1954 – A.W.A. Welter Weight Championship; 1955 – A.W.A. WelterWeight Championship; 1956 – A.W.A. WelterWeight Championship; 1962 – A.W.A. Runner Up Welter.