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First published by HarperCollinsPublishers 2017
FIRST EDITION
© Boris Starling 2017
Cover layout design by Claire Ward © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2017
Cover photograph © Daily Mail 2014 (main image), © Shutterstock (wheelchair figure)
Plate-section photographs courtesy of the competitors, except where indicated
Boris Starling asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work
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Source ISBN: 9780008240080
Ebook Edition © September 2017 ISBN: 9780008240103
Version: 2017-08-07
For those who competed in London and Orlando, for those who are competing in Toronto, and for those who will compete in Sydney and beyond. You are an inspiration, each and every one of you. You are unconquered.
CONTENTS
Prologue: The Night Which Covers Me
2 This Place of Wrath and Tears
4 How Charged with Punishments the Scroll
5 The Fell Clutch of Circumstance
Epilogue: The Captain of My Soul
The Invictus Games are an international multisport event for WIS (wounded, injured and sick) Armed Services personnel and veterans. The Games use the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and increase awareness of the sacrifices made by those who serve.
The first Invictus Games took place in London on 10–14 September 2014. Thirteen nations were represented and 413 competitors took part: Afghanistan, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. Competitions took place across nine adaptive sports: archery, athletics, indoor rowing, powerlifting, road cycling, sitting volleyball, swimming, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby. The Presenting Partner, Jaguar Land Rover, also offered a driving challenge.
The inaugural Invictus Games have created the blueprint for inspiring many more ‘wounded warriors’ on their journey of recovery, and the success of the Games prompted the organisers to stage a follow-up. They know that hundreds more wounded warriors around the world could benefit from taking part in the Invictus Games. So they established the Invictus Games Foundation to develop and pursue the Invictus Games legacy and continue to make a difference to the lives of wounded, injured and sick Service personnel around the world.
There was not enough time to get one up and running in 2015, so the second Invictus Games took place in Orlando, Florida, on 8–12 May 2016. All the nations from 2014 participated again, plus Jordan. Wheelchair tennis was added to the roster of sports. Altogether 485 competitors took part.
The third Invictus Games are taking place in Toronto on 23–30 September 2017. Romania and Ukraine are competing for the first