Injured service members compete for Georgia at Invictus Games
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Georgian service members injured during combat or peacekeeping operations are competing with counterparts from 16 other nations within the Invictus Games international competition held under the patronage of Prince Harry.
The tournament aims to contribute to the recovery and rehabilitation of injured, ill and wounded service members from around the world, with this year's event launched last Saturday in Toronto, Canada.
The Georgian team — featuring 15 athletes — is competing in six disciplines at the event: cycling, swimming, archery, Jaguar Land Rover driving challenge, sitting volleyball and powerlifting.
This year's Invictus Games launched in Toronto on Saturday. Photo: Georgia's Defence Minister press office.
Their efforts were supported at Saturday's opening ceremony by Minister of Defence of Georgia Levan Izoria and Chief of the General Staff of Armed Forces Major General Vladimer Chachibaia, who attended the launch at the Air Canada Centre.
A reception honouring the team was also held in Toronto by Ambassador of Georgia to Canada Konstantine Kavtaradze, with Izoria speaking to the athletes during the event that also hosted their families.
The welcoming reception also saw a photo exhibition on Georgian peacekeepers in international missions, organised by the embassy.
The Georgian team's efforts at the competition are supported by fans in Toronto. Photo: Georgia's Defence Minister press office.
Georgia is participating in the games for the third time, with service members from the country claiming medals in last year's edition.
Established by Prince Harry in 2014, the games aim to recognise and support the achievements of service members who have suffered "life-changing injuries, both visible and invisible, while serving their countries".
The competition is streamed live through the official website invictusgames.live.
The Invictus Games 2016 are coming to an end but already Georgia has won two well-deserved medals at the prestigious competition for injured servicemen and women.
Georgian warriors wounded in the Russia-Georgia war in August 2008 and other international operations are taking part in an international competition specifically for wounded servicemen and women from all over the globe.
A disabled Georgian soldier is the focus of a program broadcast on a leading American television channel ahead of Georgia’s participation in this year’s annual international sports competition for wounded service men and women.
A team from Georgia, consisted of service members injured during combat or peacekeeping operations, have won the Invictus Games gold medal in sitting volleyball.
The Invictus Games officially ended in Toronto, Canada. At the closing ceremony, Prince Harry talked about how astonished he was by the Georgian team. "I could not have been ready for the scale of what we witnessed at these games,” he told the audience.
Wounded Georgian soldiers have won seven medals at the Marine Corps Trials competition in North Carolina, United States (US).
Georgian soldiers wounded in the Russia-Georgia war of August 2008 and other international operations are taking part in an international competition for wounded servicemen and women in Sydney, Australia, the Invictus Games.
A team of Georgia’s wounded and injured service members is in the semifinal of the international Invictus Games after defeating Germany on Monday.
Georgian military servicemembers injured during combat or peacekeeping operations will compete with counterparts from 20 other nations within the Invictus Games international competition between April 16-22 in the Hague, the Netherlands.
Georgian military servicemember Aleksi Beruashvili has won two gold medals at the Invictus Games international competition in the Hague after competing in 200 and 1500-metre jogging, Georgian Defence Ministry announced on Monday.