- Credit: Invictus Games Foundation
The Prince Harry-founded Invictus Games, which are held every two years and are modelled after the Paralympics, will feature Nigerian athletes for the first time, the foundation announced on Thursday.
The sixth iteration of the week-long sporting competition will take place in Düsseldorf, Germany, and will mark Africa’s first participation in the games. Nigeria will compete alongside 21 other countries in a number of adaptive sports. Along with Colombia and Israel, the West African country was admitted to the Invictus Community of Nations last year. In the sporting event this year, all three nations will compete for the first time.
Corporal Effiom Antigha, the captain of Team Nigeria, expressed excitement about competing in the September games to CNN. 30-year-old Antigha, had initially been depressed after getting injured.
“I feel very happy because, before now, I didn’t think I could engage myself in any of these sporting activities. The Invictus Foundation has helped develop me physically and mentally.”
“Before joining Invictus, I had never heard of sitting volleyball. When I saw that I could engage in the sport without having to stress my limbs, I felt very great. Since then, my spirit has been high, I can now take myself to the gym for upper body work. That’s something I haven’t done since I got injured.” he added.
The Invictus Games, which help the rehabilitation of wounded warriors, were first held in 2014 and have previously been hosted by the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, and the Netherlands.
Runners-up and winners at the Invictus Games, medals are awarded in a variety of sports, but the event’s organisers stress that the goal is to support the veterans’ healing, not to earn medals.
