How Yoga is Connecting Two Veterans on Different Paths

At first glance, Karney Armstrong and Craig Thorogood are an unlikely duo. Fourteen years separate 52‑year‑old Craig and 38‑year‑old Karney, and their lives are in very different places. Craig’s three children are now fully grown, while Karney is in the thick of raising her two young boys. Their day‑to‑day routines look nothing alike, and their transitions out of service unfolded in different ways. 

Yet yoga has brought them together, creating a connection that now sits at the centre of their rehabilitation and their friendship. 

It is the kind of connection Invictus Australia works to create through sport and physical activity, in safe, trauma-informed environments where veterans can feel understood, build trust and experience the full benefits of participation.  

It is also at the heart of the Invictus Australia Sports Festival 2026, Presented by ATCO, which will bring veterans together in Perth this October through adaptive sport, connection and shared experience. For Craig and Karney, the Festival represents another step in a journey that began well before competition.

Karney and Craig share a Navy background, with an unexpected connection dating back to 2003, when Craig served at sea alongside Karney’s mother aboard HMAS Kanimbla. 

For both, military service has long been part of family life. Karney grew up as an army brat and is third-generation Navy, while Craig’s family history of service spans several generations. 

“My father, grandfather and great grandfather all served, as did my son and daughter’s grandfather on their mother’s side,” Craig said.  

“Today, two of my three children are continuing that tradition,” he said.  

For Karney, that connection to service has continued to shape what came next. Her commitment to the veteran community is clear in everything she has done post service. 

“My life’s purpose is to help our veteran and first responder family where and when I can.”  

Karney’s Invictus journey began while she was still serving.  

“I wanted to create a rehabilitation program that incorporated the Invictus Games,” she said.  

Encouraged by clients who saw her potential, she applied and represented Australia at the Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023, in Archery, Table Tennis and Athletics, where she took home a gold medal in the 100m sprint. 

Today, she teaches trauma‑sensitive and adaptive yoga in Perth, creating a space where veterans and first responders can move without pressure and connect without judgement.  

I have witnessed so many of my yogis grow since commencing my classes which fills my heart with so much joy

Karney Armstrong

Invictus Australia Sports Festival 2026, Presented by ATCO Competitor

That focus on creating accessible, supportive environments through sport is one Karney will also bring to the Invictus Australia Sports Festival, not only as a competitor but by sharing her yoga practice with others taking part. 

Craig is one of the veterans who has experienced the impact of Karney’s approach firsthand. His own rehabilitation has been shaped by the support he found through her yoga sessions, which have become a consistent anchor in his recovery. 

Craig’s path to sport was unconventional. He discovered dryland dog sledding while exercising his Siberian Husky, and the experience opened the door to regular movement.  

“Movement is medicine, and I now exercise regularly for both physical and mental health.” Craig said.  

Yoga soon became central to his rehabilitation. Through Karney’s guidance, he has achieved milestones he once thought impossible, from touching his toes for the first time to holding a two‑minute plank.  

The physical changes have been significant, but the mental health impact has been just as meaningful. 

On top of the physical and mental benefits, Craig and Karney’s shared commitment to movement has also strengthened their social connection. Karney’s yoga community communicates daily, checking in on one another, attending appointments together, and ensuring no one feels alone. It is the kind of peer support that research consistently identifies as critical for long‑term recovery, and the kind of community Invictus Australia works to foster for veterans across Australia. 

The pair were recently selected to represent Australia at the Invictus Australia Sports Festival 2026, Presented by ATCO, bringing those individual journeys together on an international adaptive sporting stage. 

Competing in Perth adds an extra layer of meaning, with both veterans representing Australia in the city they now call home. 

“I feel proud to be able to represent Australia and excited to be part of a team of awesome people,” Craig said.   

For Karney, the pride is shared.  

“I feel proud knowing I’ll be competing alongside one of my yogis,” she said.  

Fittingly, Craig and Karney’s partnership will continue beyond the competition. On Saturday morning, Karney will lead a yoga session for competitors, bringing her practice and their community to the Festival, and creating another space for connection beyond the sporting field. 

It reflects the broader purpose of the Festival: competition is part of the experience, but so too are the opportunities for veterans to connect, try new forms of movement and strengthen the networks that can support their recovery and wellbeing long after the event ends. 

The Invictus Australia Sports Festival 2026, Presented by ATCO, will be held in Perth from 23-26 October. Designed to strengthen recovery, wellbeing and collaboration among wounded, injured and ill veterans, it is also creating year‑round pathways for veterans and families to stay active, connected and supported in their communities. 

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