Updated on
For Welsh Army veteran Jonathan, being part of the Invictus Games will have life-saving benefits not only for himself, but for his friends and family.
Jonathan suffers from physical injuries including cervical degenerative disc disease in his upper spine and osteoarthritis in his knees which affects his hips and lower back as well as post-traumatic stress disorder. Sport and Invictus training camps have renewed his confidence and self-esteem to the point where his loved ones say he is nearly “back to normal”.
On spending time with his teammates, Jonathan said he feels part of a team again, something which was missing since he left the Army.
“The resilience they show in not letting their injuries define or restrict them, is really inspiring.”
During Covid his training and exercise plans had to be adapted and he took advantage of the virtual sessions supplied by the Invictus coaching staff for his sports as well as the educational programmes supplied ranging from nutrition to sport psychology.
“Through Invictus a TrainHeroic programme was introduced which was beneficial when sports facilities were closed. I’ve also been trying to train a very stubborn rescue beagle that has proved very challenging.”
