2023 Invictus Games: Athletes take part in multi-sport training camps in Invictus Games preparations
Preparations for this year's Invictus Games are well under way as athletes representing Team UK have been gathering for several training camps in the lead-up to the games.
Up to 50 competitors from the UK are set to compete at this year's Invictus Games in a wide range of multi-sports.
The games, initiated by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex in 2014, will be holding its sixth iteration in September, set to take place in Germany for the first time, in the city of Dusseldorf.
Almost everyone taking part are multi-sporting athletes, one of whom is Lynsey Kelly, formerly of the Royal Air Force, who will compete in swimming and archery.
"I will be competing with a lot of these incredible people, and they are incredible people with a disability and with limited ability," she said.
She added: "But I am here, and I am proud of myself, and I think that's it, just a proud and an overwhelming feeling of yes, I have really achieved something."
Another athlete, Paul Case, also formerly of the RAF, suffered a traumatic brain injury after a fall from height and is now working as a teaching assistant in a primary school, where he's gained his own Invictus fan club.
He said: "To be able to get up and talk to the children about resilience and the Invictus story and journey has been brilliant.
"I am getting myself out to different youth groups and talking to them about it as well.
"At the games themselves, I am just happy to turn up and have a laugh and really just represent the UK again is a really good feeling."
One athlete who is set to compete in three sports is former soldier Peter Saunders, who was left with a traumatic brain injury following a freak pole-vaulting accident.
He will be competing in athletics as well as archery and sitting volleyball.
"I was quite scared about the team sports when I first signed up," he explained.
"I just wanted to do athletics and, when we did the injury (Achilles tendon injury) earlier in the year, the idea was thrown across that I should probably take some of the ones that are probably less reliant on being able to have an Achilles tendon that works.
"So, archery and sitting volleyball were two choices that I have made."
Team UK are due to hold three more multi-sport training camps before they depart to Dusseldorf for the games, which takes place from 9 to 16 September.
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