Defence personnel begin training in Townsville for Invictus Games

The first Invictus Games 2018 squad training camp for athletics is underway in Townsville.

Townsville veteran and Invictus hopeful Beau King. Picture: Zak Simmonds

THEY are all wounded, injured or ill but they all have the mental and physical strength and determination to fight for their chance to represent their country again.

The first Invictus Games 2018 squad training camp for athletics began yesterday in Townsville.

The Australian Defence Force and RSL are supporting the participation of 32 serving and former serving participants all vying for their spot on the 2018 Australian team at the four-day camp.

The Invictus Games is an international adaptive sporting event for serving and former serving Defence personnel which will be held from October 20-27 in Sydney.

The Games, the brainchild of Prince Harry, use the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding and respect for wounded, injured and ill servicemen and women.

As part of the training camp, participants will take part in both team and individual activities to support the selection process of the 2018 Australian Invictus Games team.

Townsville hopeful Beau King, 36, is in his second attempt to make the Australian team hoping to compete in the 100, 200m, relay and powerlifting.

The 2nd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment veteran of two tours of Iraq and one of Afghanistan suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and hearing loss.

“I lost my hearing when my vehicle was hit by an IED in southern Iraq,” he said.

Post-service Mr King said he has tried to stay involved in sport and had worked with groups like Mates4Mates to help with his recovery.

““(I was inspired) by a couple of the guys who have competed before, so I wanted to follow in their footsteps,” he said.

“When you represent your country like we have, with our jobs, there is the same pride there so it would be a pretty big thing (to be selected in the Australian team.”

Brisbane-based Private Danielle Close from the 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment suffers from multiple sclerosis and is competing for a spot in five events in what would be her second Invictus Games following Toronto’s event last year.

“Toronto was phenomenal, which is why I’m back again,” she said.

“Everyone works within their boundaries but we are work as hard as we can because you want to do the east you can so training and eating right.

“Some days I can’t walk, it just depends what day it is, but I listen to my body and I train hard when I can train hard and rest when I have to rest.”

Brisbane’s Captain Emma Kadziolka, who won a silver medal in shot put and a bronze medal in rowing in Toronto, said the games were more about the journey than finishing first.

In November 2016, she was diagnosed with a stage two glioma brain tumour.

“It came form left field and last year I used the Invictus journey as part of my rehab and didn’t let it stop me,” she said.

“The Invictus Games has helped me by integrating with people who are in a similar but a different situations

“I think you can draw off each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”

Townsville-based adaptive sports athletics coach Captain Simon O’Regan, from 3rd Brigade Headquarters, served with Mr King in Iraq in 2006.

He said seeing wounded, injured or ill athletes still wanting to achieve goals was inspiring.

“I love the job that I do serving the country and it’s fantastic to be involved with these people in giving them some further goals and seeing what they can achieve.

“That for me is the bonus … because they are still motivated

“They’ve served their country in one capacity and they are striving to serve their country now in athletics.”

Captain O’Regan said he hoped having a home games this year would give Australian athletes the edge.

“The Australian public embraces sport and in particular in Townsville they embrace the service community so we’re looking forward to that support moving forward to Sydney,” he said.

“I went to the Sydney Olympics as a spectator and saw what that did and I’m sure they’ll come out and support these guys.”

The final Australian team of 72 will be announced mid-year following a series of training and selection camps for the various adaptive sports at key locations around Australia.

Originally published as Defence personnel begin training in Townsville for Invictus Games