‘Inspiring’ Invictus Games ‘another chance at life’ for Team UK competitor

The Invictus Games is “not just a sporting competition” but is also a “powerful” movement, according to one competitor from Team UK, which has gathered for a final training camp.

The Duke of Sussex founded the games to aid the rehabilitation of injured or sick military personnel and veterans from across the globe, by giving them the challenge of competing in sporting events similar to the Paralympics.

After being delayed by the pandemic, the next staging of the international competition will be in The Hague this month.

Former royal army physical training corps instructor Vic Wales, 44, from Newcastle, is taking part in five events – rowing, cycling, archery, powerlifting and athletics.

Ms Wales broke her back in a training accident 11 years ago and was medically discharged.

She told the PA news agency: “Invictus is important. It’s not just a sporting competition. It’s a movement, a powerful one.

“If you come and watch Invictus, you can see the importance of the games and what it means to people.

“It’s not just turning up and playing sports. It’s another chance at life, it’s another chance to rediscover yourself, and it’s not about what you can’t do anymore, it’s about finding out what you can do.”

Ms Wales, who was one of the instructing staff while the Duke of Sussex was a cadet at Sandhurst, said it will be “exciting” to see him in The Hague.

“It’s always good to see cadets doing well, especially members of our royal family, so it will just be great to see him out there.

“It’s amazing what he’s done and what he’s created,” she said.

Reflecting on Harry’s time at Sandhurst, Ms Wales said he wanted to be treated the same as everyone else.

“He was the same as everybody he served with, and he did everything that everybody