Our Invictus Games champions

Members Mark Abel and Andy Allen made the journey to Vancouver in Canada for this year’s Invictus Games. We spoke to them on their return to find out how they got on.

The Invictus Games brought together over 500 competitors from 22 nations in February to compete in a range of adaptive sports. Since 2014, the games has supported the rehabilitation of wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans through the use of sport.
This year’s Invictus Games was the first to feature winter adaptive sports including alpine and Nordic skiing which both Mark and Andy took part in.

Between them, Mark and Andy competed in nine events and returned with seven medals, but the Invictus Games is about far more than winning podium places.
Andy, 36, and from Belfast, has been a Member with the charity since 2008.

Andy joined the 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment in 2006. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2008 and in July of that year he was seriously injured in a Taliban bomb attack in the Helmand Province, losing both of his legs along with his sight.

He competed for the first time in the Invictus Games and took part in the one-minute rowing (silver) four-minute rowing (gold), wheelchair rugby (silver) and Nordic skiing (bronze).

Mark, 58, and from Worcester, joined the Army at 16-years-old and learnt to ski while serving. He thought his days on the slopes were behind him after he became unwell and took himself to bed but woke a few hours later and told his fiancé that he couldn’t see and that she needed to take him to hospital. Mark was told there had been damage to the optic nerves caused by multiple sclerosis.

This was Mark’s second visit to the Invictus Games having taken part in Orlando in 2016. Mark was selected in May 2024. He says: “The process to being selected for the Invictus Games starts with an open application process in which you send off a one-minute video explaining why you think you should take part which then goes to a panel. It isn’t about being the fastest or most skilled.

“The Invictus Games is about resilience and overcoming adversity by using sport as a means of recovery. It’s an honour and a privilege to show others across the world what can be achieved.

“Being back in a military environment feels fantastic; it’s one big happy sporting family. I also had my wife and my daughter accompany me to Canada; it’s massively important to have the support of family and friends. I would like to thank the Royal British Legion who not only funded my training and travel costs but also funded my wife and daughter to be able to join me.”

Mark competed in alpine skiing in which he was put in a different category against able bodied athletes, 50 metre freestyle swimming (silver), 50 metre breaststroke (bronze), 4x 50 metre relay (bronze) and the one minute sprint indoor rowing in which he recorded a personal best of 272 metres in one minute.

Mark and Andy told us about some of the adaptations in place:

Rowing: Both men had a coach alongside them who read out the details on the screen including pace, distance and time remaining.

Skiing: A guide who relays information needed to stay safe such as weather conditions, obstacles, hazards and light and shade.

Swimming: Assistance on the diving block.

Rugby: Andy had never played wheelchair rugby before. Prior to the Invictus Games there were around seven training camps in which it was important to work on communication with the team and for them to learn about his visual impairment.