Prince Harry’s tournament for injured military personnel will put Paralympic sport back at the heart of the Olympic Park when it gets underway in less than a month’s time.
%image(14941113, type="article-full", alt="Prince Harry meets veteran Jonathon "Frenchie" Le Galloudec at the Invictus Games selection process at Tedworth House in April. Pic:InvictusGames/Ben A. Pruchnie/Getty")
The inaugural Invictus Games will see more than 400 competitors from around the world battle it out in nine adaptive sports over four days from September 10 to 14.
The prince, himself a captain in the army who has served two tours in Afghanistan, one as an Apache helicopter pilot, championed the event after a visit to the USA Warrior Games last year.
It has seen back backing from celebrities including actors Daniel Craig, Tom Hardy and Joanna Lumley as well as musicians will.i.am, Joss Stone and Rod Stewart.
For most of the injured, wounded or sick military service men and women taking part, sport has played a role in their rehabilitation.
%image(14941114, type="article-full", alt="Prince Harry has championed the Invictus Games since watching the USA Warrior Games last year. Pic: Invictus Games/Chris Jackson/Getty")
Cpt David Henson, who hopes to compete at the Games, said: “Competitive sport has made all the difference to my personal recovery and rehabilitation.
“For a whole international community of injured ‘brothers in arms’ who flat out refuse to let themselves be beaten by their injuries, the Invictus Games in London will offer a memorable, inspiring and energising experience in their journey of recovery.”
Sports will include athletics, archery, wheelchair basketball, road cycling, indoor rowing, wheelchair rugby, swimming, sitting volleyball and powerlifting.
Teams have been invited from the armed forces of 14 nations that have served alongside each other, with newcomers and veterans of adaptive sports working side by side or going head to head.
Olympic venues including the Copper Box Arena, London Aquatic Centre and Lee Valley VeloPark will play host to a number of the sports while athletics will take place at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre.
Click here for more information or to book tickets. For more news about Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, see our Parklife section.
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