Jordan participates at 6th Invictus Games

AMMAN — Jordan's contingent to the 6th Invictus Games — the only international sporting event for wounded, injured and ill veteran and active service personnel — begins competition at the Games which opened on the weekend in Dusseldorf, Germany. 

Twenty one countries will take part in the event, and Jordan’s 16 athletes will participate in power-lifting, indoor rowing and athletics which includes the long jump, discus, shot put, running and wheelchair race.

Interviewed ahead of departure by The Jordan Times, the Kingdom's athletes,  supported by the Hashemite Commission for Disabled Soldiers, include Ahmad Barahmeh who served on the northern border with Syria when a gunshot resulted in a spinal cord injury in 2015. A two-time  gold medalist, he will compete in athletics 100m and lightweight power lifting and is one of the athletes hoping to come back with a medal for Jordan. “I know I can always do better,” Barahmeh notes. “My previous participation was a great experience, and officials and teammates have been very supportive. My mother is my main motivator.”

The team also includes Rola Al Amro, a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Arab Army Medical Services, who is now a tetraplegic after the triple suicide bombings in Amman in 2005. “Being on the team motivates me and I believe the Invictus Games could have a long-term impact on us, and we in turn can motivate others and give them the push they need,” Amro said.

Jordan did not participate in the last edition, which was postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic and took place in 2022. At the previous 2018 edition in Sydney, Australia, Jordan returned with haul of nine medals and an impressive performance.

The Games, founded by Prince Harry of Britain in 2014, underline the positive impact sport could have on the recovery and rehabilitation of wounded, injured and ill servicemen and women. The word “Invictus” , Latin for “unconquered” embodies the fighting spirit of those  servicemen and women and highlights the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation, and generate a wider understanding of and respect for those who serve their country. 

The inaugural Invictus Games was held in London in 2014, Florida hosted the 2016 edition, Toronto 2017, Sydney 2018, the Hague edition of 2020 was postponed to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The next Games are slated for  Vancouver in 2025.