Ninety athletes will represent Team USA in the Invictus Games, the largest wounded warrior competition of the year, beginning Saturday in Toronto.

Here’s what you need to know about the event, its origins and the American squad.

How it began

Prince Harry poses with Romania's Team athletes during a pre-Invictus Games training session at Pan Am Sports Centre on Sept. 22 in Toronto, Canada. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
  • The Invictus Games were founded by Prince Harry after he saw U.S. service members competing in the Warrior Games, which is put on by the Defense Department, in similar events designed around the athlete’s disabilities.
  • The Invictus Games’ mission is about using “the power of sport to change lives,” according to an August press release from the foundation. “Although fiercely competitive, its main intention is to be a milestone on the road to recovery.”
  • The Toronto games will be the third year the event has been held. The first games were held in London in 2014 and continued in Orlando, Florida, in 2016.

Who’s competing

This year’s games will be held from Sept. 23 through Sept. 30, with 17 nations sending teams of wounded warriors to compete in Toronto.

  • Afghanistan, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, New Zealand, Netherlands, Romania, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States will all send athletes to the games.

In total, 550 athletes will compete in various adaptive sports — competitive sports for individuals with disabilities.

  • Archery, track and throwing events, a Jaguar Land Rover driving challenge, cycling, golf, indoor rowing, power-lifting, sitting volleyball, swimming, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair tennis are the highlighted events this year.

Team USA

  • Air Force Capt. Christy Wise will lead the American team. She was the first Air Force leg amputee to return to flight duty, the service said.
  • Wise competed in the Wounded Warrior Games in Quantico, Virginia, nine weeks after her amputation. There, she won 11 medals in hand-cycling, swimming, wheelchair racing, swimming and track and field. Wise also competed in the Orlando Invictus Games.
U.S. Air Force Capt. Christy Wise competes in rowing during Invictus Games 2016 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex at Walt Disney World, Orlando, Fla., May 9, 2016. The Invictus Games are the United Kingdom’s version of the Warrior Games, bringing together wounded veterans from 14 nations for events including track and field, archery, wheelchair basketball, road cycling, indoor rowing, wheelchair rugby, swimming, sitting volleyball and a driving challenge. (DoD photo by Roger Wollenberg/Released)
  • Marine Corps Sgt. Ivan Sears will serve as the team’s co-captain. He suffered an above-the-knee amputation while serving in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in 2010. In the 2013 Warrior Games, he earned a gold medal in the 1,500-meter wheelchair racing event, according to a Defense Department statement.
U.S. track and field athlete Ivan Sears competes in the Men’s Shot Put Para (Class D) during the 6th CISM World Games. The 6th CISM World Games provides the opportunity for the athletes of over 100 different nations to come together and enjoy friendship through sport. The sixth annual CISM World Games are being held aboard Mungyeong, South Korea, Sept. 30-Oct. 11. (Photo by Sgt. Ashley N. Cano)

Here is a complete list of the 88 other retired, active and reserve service members heading to Toronto to represent the United States:

  • Retired Sgt. Roosevelt Anderson, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Lance Cpl. Robert Anfinson, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Retired Lance Cpl. Timothy Bergenstock, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Retired Staff Sgt. Nathaniel Bias, U.S. Air Force
  • Gunnery Sgt. Matthew Branch, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Retired Master Sgt. Kyle Burnett, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Chief Petty Officer Jim Castaneda, U.S. Navy
  • Retired Maj. Ivan Castro, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Tech. Sgt. Jason Caswell, U.S. Air Force
  • Staff Sgt. Vince Cavazos, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Gunnery Sgt. Andrew Cordova, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Retired Petty Officer 3rd Class Nathan Dewalt, U.S. Navy
  • Col. Daniel Dudek, U.S. Army
  • Petty Officer 1st Class John Dusseau, U.S. Navy
  • Capt. Kelly Elmlinger, U.S. Army
  • Retired Petty Officer 2nd Class Roel Espino, U.S. Navy
  • Retired Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Estes, U.S. Navy
  • Retired Sgt. Brandi Evans, U.S. Army
Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Seekell, of Team U.S., sprints during the male 100-meter track finals at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla., May 10, 2016. The 2016 Invictus Games kicked off with a ceremony May 8, and 15 nations competed through May 12 in multiple adaptive sports events. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Wallace)
  • 1st Lt. Sarah Frankosky, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Cpl. Dustin Gabehart, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Gunnery Sgt. Dorian Gardner, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Retired Staff Sgt. Randi Gavell, U.S. Army
  • Retired Cpl. Gabriel Gehr, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Capt. Cal Gentry, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Master Sgt. Jesse Graham, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Lance Cpl. Matt Grashen, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Retired Sgt. Gabby Graves-Wake, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Retired Staff Sgt. Robert Green, U.S. Army
  • Retired Petty Officer 2nd Class Nathaniel Hamilton, U.S. Navy
  • Retired Cpl. Jessica Hammack, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Lt. Ramesh Haytasingh, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Master Sgt. Reese Hines, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Sgt. Sean Hook, U.S. Army
  • Sgt. 1st Class Brant Ireland, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Master Sgt. Keith Jackson, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Lt. Sancho Johnson, U.S. Coast Guard
  • Retired Staff Sgt. Sean Johnson, U.S. Army
  • Petty Officer 3rd Class Melissa Klotz, U.S. Navy
  • Retired Petty Officer 1st Class John Kremer, U.S. Navy
  • Tech. Sgt. Curtis Krenzke, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Sgt. Stefan Leroy, U.S. Army
  • Retired Sgt.1st Class Fred-Curtis Lewis, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Sgt. 1st Class Josh Lindstrom, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Staff Sgt. Sebastiana Lopez-Arellano, U.S. Air Force
  • Staff Sgt. Michael Lukow, U.S. Army
  • Retired Staff Sgt. Ryan Major, U.S. Army
Team U.S. wheelchair basketball members huddle after a game at the Orlando Invictus Games 2016, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort Orlando, Fla. May 7, 2016. The Invictus Games are composed of 15 nations, over 500 military competitors, competing in 10 sporting events May 8-12, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Carlin Leslie/Released)
  • Retired Master Sgt. Mark Mann, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Sgt. Elizabeth Marks, U.S. Army
  • Tech. Sgt. Lara Mastel, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Sgt. Anthony McDaniel, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Retired Sgt. Maj. Shawn Mello, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Tech. Sgt. Aimi Mlekoday, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Tech. Sgt. Jessica Moore, U.S. Air Force
  • Spc. Stephanie Morris, U.S. Army
  • Retired Lt. Joan Mulligan, U.S. Navy
  • Retired Sgt. Michael Nicholson, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Lt. Col. Dave Ohearn, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Staff Sgt. Sven Perryman, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Spc. Anthony Pone, U.S. Army
  • Retired Tech. Sgt. Adam Popp, U.S. Air Force
  • Maj. James Pradke, U.S. Army
  • Retired Senior Airman Lucas Purser, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Cpl. Jose Ramos, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Retired Sgt. HaywoodRange, U.S. Army
  • Retired Senior Chief Petty Officer Ryan Reese, U.S. Navy
  • Retired Capt. William Reynolds, U.S. Army
  • Retired Staff Sgt. Issac Rios, U.S. Army
  • Retired Staff Sgt. Patrick Roberts, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Cpl. Sarah Rudder, U.S. Marine Corps
U.S. Marine Cpl. Dustin Gabehart competes in road cycling during the Invictus Games at the Lee Valley Velo Park, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London, England, Sept. 13, 2014. Road Cycling is one of several sports over 300 wounded warriors from 13 nations might get to compete in including archery, wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball, indoor rowing, athletics, swimming and sitting volleyball. The vision for the Invictus Games is to harness the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding and respect for those who serve their country. (U.S. photo by Senior Airman Tiffany DeNault/released)
  • Retired Sgt. 1st Class Howie Sanborn, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Sgt. 1st Class James Sandoval, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Petty Officer 3rd Class Henry Sawyer, U.S. Navy
  • Retired Gunnery Sgt. Brian Scarbrough, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Tech. Sgt. BenSeekel, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Petty Officer 1st Class Ryan Shannon, U.S. Navy
  • Retired Senior Airman Trent Smith, U.S Air Force
  • Retired Lt. Bradley Snyder, U.S. Navy
  • Retired Sgt. Aaron Stewart, U.S. Army
  • Retired Cpl. Kionte Storey, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Sgt. 1st Class Yancy Taylor, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Sgt. Maj. Michael Toth, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Staff Sgt. Felipe Tremillo, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Petty Officer 1st Class Robert Troha, U.S. Coast Guard
  • Retired Chief Petty Officer Hector Varela, U.S Navy
  • Retired Master Sgt. Mark Vomund, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Tech. Sgt. Brian Williams, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Master Chief Petty Officer James Wilson, U.S. Navy
  • Retired Chief Petty Officer Sharona Young, U.S. Navy


Kyle Rempfer was an editor and reporter who has covered combat operations, criminal cases, foreign military assistance and training accidents. Before entering journalism, Kyle served in U.S. Air Force Special Tactics and deployed in 2014 to Paktika Province, Afghanistan, and Baghdad, Iraq.

Share:
In Other News
Load More