Michael

Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023 Competitor

ADF service: I joined the Australian Army in 2004 as a solider.

Age: 37

Home town: Hervey Bay, Queensland

Current town: Sunshine Coast, Queensland

Competing in: Indoor rowing, powerlifting and swimming.

What is the nature of your injury or illness? I have a fractured vertebrae and a traumatic brain injury which includes a tumor/cyst on my brain and hypogonadism.

What role has sport played in your rehabilitation? Training for an event like this, has given me a long-term goal I otherwise wouldn’t have had. Strength training has helped my injuries and allowed me to focus on other things, rather than being upset at having chronic conditions.

Sport background: Growing up I played rugby league, touch football and did boxing.

What is your greatest achievement to date? Being selected to represent Special Operations Command and the ADF while attached to United States Special Operations Command Africa in Germany for six months.

Why did you apply for the Invictus Games? I was in a very bad mental place after leaving such a highly driven workforce and this was affecting my family dynamic and ability to rehabilitate. I applied for the Invictus Games to meet people in similar situations and hopefully receive and pass on coping mechanisms. I also wanted to feel physically and mentally capable to achieve good results like I used to.

What will success look like for you at the Games? I’m generally a competitive person and winning would be absolutely incredible. Winning, I hope, will give me the drive to continue to compete locally in similar events and hopefully represent Australia again in the future.

What does unconquered mean to you? Although I have chronic and debilitating physical and mental issues, it doesn’t mean it’s all over. I still have the ability and drive to compete with other people in my situation and receive just as much, if not more, satisfaction from it.