Picton woman to get her first taste of Invictus Games
Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Flight Lieutenant Jules Gilligan can’t wait to get to Canada for her first taste of the Invictus Games.
The Invictus Games is the only international adaptive sporting event for wounded, injured and ill active duty and veteran service members. This year’s event, in Toronto from 23–30 September, will be the largest yet, with 550 ill and injured servicemen and women from 17 allied nations — including 24 from the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) — competing in 12 adaptive sporting events.
Flight Lieutenant Gilligan, who lives in Picton and serves at RNZAF Base Woodbourne, will compete in powerlifting, swimming and rowing at the Games. She is the NZDF team vice-captain.
After dealing with breast cancer and suffering a severe wrist injury, she is looking forward to representing the NZDF overseas.
“To be become ill or injured is difficult for anyone,” she said. “When our expectations of service are taken away it is difficult to see how those can be adapted both for personal goals and to be able to represent.
“I really did expect my life to go back to what it was. It has been difficult to deal with the realisation that I am not able to perform to the same standard that I was pre-illness.
“The want to do all that I joined up for remains. Competing in Invictus gives me an opportunity to regain some of what I have lost.”
The commitment of those participating is testament to their individual courage, and to their conviction to face their challenges with a fighting spirit.
Flight Lieutenant Gilligan said to be part of a team of people who cared and understood meant a great deal to her.
“The NZDF Invictus team are like a family,” she said. “We all get on and understand each other because we are all able to relate in some way to the struggles of being a wounded, injured or ill service person.”
The Invictus Games have been held previously in London in 2014 and Orlando, Florida, in 2016. They use the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate awareness of the physical and psychological injuries sustained by wounded warriors.
The NZDF team is sponsored by the Auckland RSA, Christchurch Memorial RSA, Fulton Hogan, BLK and Offlimits Trust.
Throughout the Games the team’s journey can be followed on:
NZDF Invictus Team Facebook: facebook.com/InvictusGamesNZ
NZDF Invictus Team Instagram: @nzdfinvictusteam
NZDF Twitter: @nzdefenceforce
