Meet The UK Invictus Athletes Heading To Sydney

The team who will represent the UK at the Invictus Games in Sydney has been revealed.

A total of 72 wounded, injured and sick veterans and service personnel will head to Australia this October to compete across a variety of disciplines.

The competition this year was tougher than ever. The UK is sending its smallest team in numbers even though more hopefuls than ever before - 451 - applied to be part of the team.

Daniel Bingley

Former Corporal with the British Army, Daniel Bingley, will be competing in six fields - the most of any Team UK athlete.

The 34-year-old will compete in athletics, sailing, sitting volleyball, swimming, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby. 

Bingley was medically discharged in 2017 and found life incredibly difficult following his injury. But he has found sport a remarkable aid in his recovery. 

He said: “I have autism which means I have a very strong memory, this means that I can vividly see the bad memories if I don’t have something else to think about.

"When I’m at training I am so focused on the sport that it blocks everything out.

"Sport gives me good memories to focus on."

Paul Guest

Royal Navy veteran Paul Guest will be taking competing in the Invictus Games for the second time this year. 

He will be competing in archery, athletics, cycling and powerlifting.

Guest, who served until 1998, found life outside of the military extremely difficult and credits the Invictus Games with changing his life. 

He said: “After locking myself away for the best part of ten years in my bedroom, the only contact with the outside world was my wife and carer Michelle.

"My youngest children had never seen me outside that room.

"This all changed last year with the selection for the 2017 Invictus Games. my family started to come together my children had a reason to be proud of me.”

Murray Hambro

Former Lance Corporal Murray Hambro has always wanted to compete in the Invictus Games and this year has been selected for athletics, rowing and swimming.

Hambro, who served in the British Army until 2013, could never compete before because of work commitments. 

The 38-year-old from Worthing said: “I have always wanted to take part in the Games but work meant I’ve never been able to.

"My two-year-old son also had a terminal illness, but passed away last year, so I was looking after him as well.

“I like to focus on different goals as this allows me to concentrate on good things instead of the bad.”

Hambro lost both of his legs below the knee in an explosion whilst serving with the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment in Afghanistan.

He is also a keen motorbike racer and rides with True Heroes Racing.

Jennifer Yarwood

Former Army Corporal Jennifer Yarwood first took part in the Invictus Games last year but is looking forward to competing again with a more positive mindset. 

Speaking to Forces News at the trials in Bath, Yarwood said:

"This year it's all about believing I'm in the moment and believing that I'm in fact good enough to get there."

This year, Yarwood, who was medically discharged in 2017, will be competing in athletics, cycling, powerlifting, sailing and swimming. 

Mark Ormrod

Former Royal Marine Commando Mark Ormrod, 34, wants to feel like he's completely dominated his injuries at this year's games. 

Ormrod, from Plymouth, was injured in 2007 when he stepped on an IED. 

He competed in the Invictus Games in Toronto in 2017 and this year hopes to build on his achievements. 

He said: "Last year was not only my first time participating at the Games, but it was my first time trying any adaptive sport at all since my injuries.

"It had a huge impact on my recovery and my life. Because of this sport is now a regular part of my life and I really want to build on last year better my performance and push myself as far as I can.

"I want to feel like I have 100% dominated my injuries." 

Ormrod said he is encouraging as many other veterans as possible to take up some form of sport as therapy.