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Navy veteran Alex Hale is getting ready to compete in this year’s Invictus Games, in Canada, following a spinal cord injury in 2023.
The games are an international adaptive sporting event for wounded, injured and ill servicemen and women from over 500 countries.
The 41-year-old from Lake Macquarie, told 2NUR he’s excited to represent Australia in Wheelchair Basketball, Nordic Biathlon and Indoor Rowing.
The biathlon training is a little bit tricky here in Australia. [There’s] not a lot of snow here, but I do have a modified sit ski that has a skateboard deck that I can roll around in
Hale joined the Australian Navy back in 2002, training as an air aviation engineer before an accident forced him to resign.
“I’d gone for a bike ride and been struck by a car,” he recalls.
“A gentleman had fallen asleep at the wheel, drifted off the road and hit me from behind at about a hundred kilometres an hour. “
The event left Hale a paraplegic.
After six months in hospital and rehab, the Navy introduced him to Invictus program.
It really struck a chord meeting a couple of people and other spinal cord patients as well. Former serving and competed in the Invictus Games, and they said, ‘just jump into this. This is an excellent opportunity.’
“As soon as I got out pf rehab, I signed up straight away,” the veteran says.
While this will be Hale’s first time competing in the Invictus Games, the Hunter Valley local is no stranger to adaptive sporting competitions.
“I previously competed in what they call the U. S. Department of Defence Warrior Games which is a similar sort of competition, however it's mostly limited to the US,” he says.
“Australia was invited along as a special competitor to come along, so I got the opportunity to compete there. “
The former serviceman says the sport has been crucial to his recovery and getting his independence back.
The Invictus program and this adaptive sport program has given me an avenue to get back into the community and aid in my rehabilitation journey and getting back into sport.
When asked what he’s looking forward to most in the games, Hale had this to say:
“I'd be lying if I didn't say that I'd be looking for a medal” he laughed.
The Australian team will be competing in the Invictus Games from 8th until 16th February in Vancouver, Canada.