Nugent was paralysed in a motorbike accident and first became involved in wheelchair sport at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane in 1963 at the age of 17.

[1] He began in wheelchair basketball and field events at Kingshome Rehabilitation Centre and became interested in canoeing due to physiotherapist Vernon Hill.

Once his family and business life settled, he began training six days a week to pursue his interest in international competition.

[1][4] At the 1988 Seoul Games, he won a bronze medal in the Men's 200 m 2 event;[4] he had a flat tyre during the early stages of the marathon, but still finished the race to support his teammates.

[1] After his retirement from Paralympic competition, he focused on road-racing events to both compete and promote his new wheelchair designs.