Bringing together 550 adaptive athletes from 21 nations, the Invictus Games will showcase the incredible spirit and capabilities of wounded warriors from September 9-16 in Dusseldorf, Germany. Inspired by his experience in the military, Prince Harry started the Invictus Games in 2014 to support soldiers’ path in rehabilitation. This year, Team USA will be represented by 59 American military service men and women who will compete in 10 sports. Fox News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin covered the latest on Team USA on ‘Special Report’.
Team USA left for Germany on Wednesday, September 6, after spending time training at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Sergeant First Class Lauren Montoya is co-captain of the team and will be competing in four sports this year. “I went to my first training camp in 2015 and that’s when I was first introduced to the world of adaptive sports,” she said. “It empowered me to feel like I was ‘normal’ again.”
Among the competitors is Lance Corporal Annika Hutsler, a Marine Corps veteran and below-knee amputee. Continuing to stay active after her amputation, Annika won multiple medals in the Department of Defense Warrior Games and regularly plays a variety of sports. “Representing my country is so surreal,” she said. Annika will compete in track, field, swimming, table tennis, and wheelchair rugby.
Learn more about Team USA and view the rosters here. For more information about the history and impact of the Invictus Games, visit the Invictus Games Foundation website.
Also, watch the Heart of Invictus documentary now streaming on Netflix.