After the end of the Second World War, Wood won State and National Championships in 1946, 1947 and 1948 and was selected to represent Australia in the single scull at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London.

Wood travelled to London ahead of the rest of the team and won the Diamond Challenge Sculls event at the Henley Royal Regatta, beating Bert Bushnell in the final.

Wood represented Australia in the single scull event at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, where he was honoured by being selected to carry the Australian flag at the opening ceremony.

[4] On the journey to Finland, Wood stopped in England and repeated his victory at the Henley Royal Regatta in the Diamond Challenge Sculls, beating Tony Fox in the final.

[4] Wood's final competition was the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, where teaming with MacKenzie he won silver in the double scull at age 41.

[2] Another factor was a document, allegedly prepared by senior police officers, which was given to a number of politicians, and which alluded to a meeting between Wood and an "illegal casino operator", among other things.

The then Premier of New South Wales, Neville Wran, started by backing Wood, stating that it would be strange for a Police Commissioner not to know people in the underworld.

Wood was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1957 New Year Honours, in recognition of his outstanding representation in the sphere of Australian amateur sport.

[7] Wood was appointed a Member (Fourth Class) of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) in 1977 on the occasion of the Queen's Silver Jubilee visit to Australia.