Sydney Announced As Host of 2018 Invictus Games

16 Nov 16

Prince Harry has announced Sydney will host the 2018 Invictus Games, a sporting event in which wounded servicemen and women competed in a variety of athletic games. An international event, Australian veterans are excited to have the event on home soil in Sydney. Although other Aussie cities were vying for hosting rights, including Townsville and the Gold Coast, it was ultimately Sydney that won out.

The official announcement came in the form of a rather amusing video posted by Prince Harry and featuring pop singer Kylie Minogue and Wallabies captain Stephen Moore. Having previously been stage in London and Orlando, Florida the games will be held in Toronto next year before coming to Sydney in 2018. According to Prince Harry, choosing Sydney as the 2018 host was an easy decision. He said the iconic city was known all over the world and that Sydney won hosting rights based on its proud military history and its sports mad residents.

The inspiring sporting event was created by Prince Harry following his two tours of duty in Afghanistan. The Paralympic-style sporting competition is specifically for sick and injured servicemen and women and is designed to help veterans rediscover their fighting spirit through sport. "In London and again in Orlando we came away moved by the tales of courage that got each competitor through their rehabilitation to the start line of their chosen sport," Harry said.

32-year-old Prince Harry was joined by Australian servicemen and women who cheered at the exciting announcement. One military man even had a gift for Harry, handing him a surfboard as he welcomed the Prince to Sydney.

The 2018 Invictus Games will be held in Sydney between October 18 to 29 and will feature over 500 competitors from approximately 17 nations. Unsurprisingly, the opening ceremony is expected to be held at the Sydney Opera House while the closing ceremony looks to be slated for Garden Island.