Exciting news for British Columbians: The first Hybrid-Winter Invictus Games are to be held in Vancouver and Whistler in February 2025.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, made the announcement at the closing ceremonies for the 2022 Games in The Netherlands.
The Games will be held in partnership with the Lil’wat, Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waltuth nations.
We're proud to host the 2025 Invictus Games, welcoming athletes from the global military community to Vancouver and Whistler!
Many have made tremendous sacrifices and overcome extraordinary barriers to be competing, and British Columbians will be there to cheer them on. https://t.co/IsOWD3jOxB
— John Horgan (@jjhorgan) April 23, 2022
We will be the second Canadian city to host the Invictus Games; the first was Toronto in 2017. But instead of having to live up to their legacy, Vancouver will set its own!
Vancouver and Whistler were also the hosts for the first Paralympic Winter Games held in Canada. That was as well the second time the Paralympics were held in Canada. Toronto hosted the 1976 Summer Paralympics.
The Invictus Games is an international sports event for wounded, injured, and sick service people and veterans. The Games use the power of sports to inspire recovery and support rehabilitation while generating a wider understanding and respect for all those who serve their country. Prince Harry founded the competition in 2013 while the first Games were hosted the following year in London.
The competition will feature both winter sports and sports from previous Invictus Games. 500 athletes from over 20 nations will compete in numerous sports over the eight-day competition, including alpine skiing, nordic skiing, wheelchair curling, swimming, sitting volleyball, wheelchair basketball, and more.
I am excited to go support the athletes in Vancouver. Prince Harry was inspired to bring adaptive sports competitions to an international level after opening the 2013 Warrior Games in Colorado. The Invictus Games website sats Prince Harry saw how the power of sports could aid injured and ill competitors physically, psychologically, and socially. It’ll be quite an inspiring event to attend. Not only are you giving these competitors a platform to share their stories and struggles, but you get to witness their tenacity in person.