CINDY CHAWNER

Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 Competitor

ADF service: I joined the Royal Australian Air Force in March 1999 and was medically discharged in June 2023. I served as a Personal Capability Officer for most of my career, but originally joined via the Reserves as an Operations Officer. I deployed to the Middle East in 2010.  

Other information: Before joining the Air Force, I was an Early Childhood Teacher working in the Northern Territory. My husband, Terry, and I are parents of 6 adult children (Kerri-Lee, Darren, Brady, Shane, Shannon and Mia) and have our ninth grandchild due later this year. With Mia currently in her third year of university, we are almost empty nesters. We live on Ngarigo country, and have a 2-year-old Labrador named Maxxy. 

Age: 59, but there are days where I totally identify as being 104 

Hometown: Cobargo, NSW

Current town: Binjura, NSW 

Competing in: Indoor rowing, skeleton, snowboarding, swimming, and wheelchair basketball. What is the nature of your injury or illness? I have a range of physical and mental health injuries related to my service. 

Sport background: Growing up on a farm I was all about horses and competed in everything from show jumping and eventing to rodeo barrel racing. At school I swam, ran and played a variety of team sports. Once I started having children, life took over and my involvement in sport took a back seat to support my kids in their many sports and activities. 

What role has sport played in your rehabilitation? Until I found Invictus, sport played no role in my rehabilitation. To be totally blunt, I did not feel confident enough to even contemplate participating in organised sport. It was only due to a chance meeting with some of the Invictus staff that I took the first steps towards making sport part of my recovery. I'm loving the changes I am feeling and seeing. It’s definitely making a massive difference in my life. 

How did you feel when you were told you made the Invictus Games team? So excited and totally stoked; then it hit me, at 59 I had just committed to competing in ‘skeleton’, a sport where you ride on a tiny sled on your stomach, headfirst, down a frozen track … but I am seriously excited.

What is your greatest achievement to date? My family. Being a wife, mum and grandmother means everything to me. I am so proud of my family, and I get so much joy from seeing everything our kids are achieving in their lives.

Why did you apply for Invictus Games? I only became aware earlier this year that I was eligible for the program. I saw Invictus as an opportunity to get myself back in to exercise and sport in a way that meant I had to set real goals and hold myself accountable.

What will ‘winning’ look like for you at the Games? For me, ‘winning’ will be that moment when I get to walk into the opening ceremony with my teammates. They really are an amazing group of people.

Who is supporting you at the Games? Terry, Mia, and our friend, Alison, will definitely be at the Games. Hopefully a few more of my children, their partners and our grandchildren might make it over but, if not, I know they will be cheering me on from home.