Australian Olympian Ian Thorpe was on hand to help unveil the Invictus Games’ medals, which were produced by the Royal Australian Mint.
“Golden Wattle inspires Australia’s national colours, decorates Australian National Honours and is incorporated in the Australian Coat of Arms,” says Royal Australian Mint CEO Ross MacDiarmid.
“The Royal Australian Mint is incredibly proud to have produced the medals for the inspirational individuals who will compete at this year’s Games. Every medal has been individually pressed and every ribbon hand-sewn to ensure they are of the highest quality.”
The Invictus medals will mirror past Games’ medals and will include a bright yellow ribbon and the words of the Invictus Games motto – the poem Invictus by William Ernest Henley.
“Medals can symbolise a goal,” says Thorpe, who has won five gold medals at the Olympics, the most by an Australian competitor. “Motivating individuals to improve themselves, to push themselves a little further each training session and to beat their personal best.”
The Invictus Games will take place this fall, from 20-27 October, in Sydney. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will travel to Australia for the Games and then will complete a tour involving New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga.
“While the individuals who take part in these Games are competitive, the Invictus Games is unique in that you won’t see a medal tally for each nation. Rather, the medals symbolise each individual’s journey to these Games, and the hurdles they have overcome to put their had up for the opportunity to train alongside their comrades,” says Thorpe.
When the 2018 Invictus Games begin, 500 competitors from 18 countries will participate in 11 medal sports.
Prince Harry founded the Invictus Games in 2014 as a sporting event for the wounded, injured and sick soldiers and veterans who put their lives on the line. The first Games were held in London in 2014, followed by Miami in 2016; and Toronto in 2017. The Invictus Games will shift to a bi-annual calendar following the 2018 Games, and the 2020 Games will take place in The Hague, The Netherlands.