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Prince Harry was on hand today to wish the guys and girls good luck
on their way to the games. Help for Heroes, which works alongside
the MOD to bring the event, will launch the first games in a few
months time. The games came from a vision that Harry had when he
visited the US Warrior games in Colorado last year. He was visiting
to wish the British competitors to wish them luck in their
endeavours.
Prince Harry visits the Warrior Games in Colorado in 2013.
It was whilst he was at the US games, the inspiration to bring this sort of competition to the UK transpired. Bryn Parry, co founder of Help for Heroes, said that “with Prince Harry’s help an international competition for wounded servicemen could take place in London next year”. And the rest, as they say, is history, Help for Heroes today is turning that vision in to reality.
During Prince Harry’s visit today he met with over 25 potential competitors who are hoping to take part in the wheelchair rugby, cycling and indoor rowing events and make up just part of the 100 strong British team.
Anther great pic of Prince Harry with one of our #InvictusGames hopefuls at our
selection event with @HelpforHeroes pic.twitter.com/tPoMa1wv8S
— Invictus Games 2014 (@InvictusLondon) April 29, 2014
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The games were officially launched on the 6th March 2014 by Prince
Harry at London’s Copper Box arena, which was used as a venue
during the 2012 Olympics. Joining Harry in supporting the games are
London Mayor Boris Johnson and the London Organising Committee of
Olympic and Paralympic Games. One million pounds of funding was
donated to the project by the Royal Foundation, a charity
established by Harry along with the Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge.
Martin Colclough, Help for Heroes British Armed Forces team manager
said, “Help for Heroes has been supporting individuals in sport
since 2008, and we are delighted to be training and helping to
select the British Armed Forces team, which will be a team to be
reckoned with”.
The Invictus games organising committee also today launched the
competition schedule.There will be sessions for nine sports across
four days for Athletics, Archery, Wheelchair Basketball, Road
Cycling, Indoor Rowing, Wheelchair Rugby, Powerlifting, Swimming
and Sitting Volleyball. Prince Harry is quoted as saying, “the
games will demonstrate the power of sport to inspire recovery,
support rehabilitation and demonstrate life beyond disability”.
The games will be being broadcast on the BBC. Tickets for the event
will go on sale on 16th May on the Invictus Games website.
photo credit: Achilles
International and Official U.S. Navy Imagery via photopin
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