The Invictus Games preview

  • September 20th, 2017
  • Camilla Chapman

With the third Invictus Games starting on Saturday in Toronto, Canada, here is all you need to know about this week-long inspiring Paralympic competition!

What are the Invictus Games?


The Invictus Games is the brainchild of Prince Harry, who after watching the US-based Warrior Games in 2013, was inspired to create an international competition for wounded, injured or sick armed services personnel and veterans to compete in twelve different sports. The inaugural Invictus Games took place in 2014 in London, with many of the venues for the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics being used for the competition, before continuing in Orlando last year. The 2018 Invictus Games will be held in Sydney, Australia.

How many countries take part?


In Toronto this year, there'll be 550 competitors from 17 different countries, with nations being invited to take part. With the original 14 countries that were first invited back in 2014 having returned to last year's competition in Orlando, these countries will be taking part again, only with new invitations to Romania and Ukraine, as well as Jordan returning from last year's invitation.

This year's countries are: Afghanistan, Australia, host nation Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, New Zealand, Netherlands, Romania, Ukraine, United Kingdom and the United States.

What are the sports?


There are 12 different sports which athletes will be competing in during the Games, including Wheelchair Basketball and Sitting Volleyball. With adaptive sports competitions like the Paralympics and the Invictus Games, they will help current serving members and veterans in overcoming physical and mental illness or injury. Keep a particular eye out on the Wheelchair Rugby competition, an exciting sport which permits contact between wheelchairs, so expect plenty of big blocks going in!

Did you know...


That the motto of the Invictus Games is 'I AM', which takes inspiration from the final two lines from the poem Invictus, penned by English poet William Ernest Henley. The last two lines go as "I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul," and this motto reflects on what the Invictus Games stands for, providing a platform for personal achievement and to compete against themselves.

For more information, take a look at the official Invictus Games website!