Brief
Invictus Games charity runs endurance challenge for veterans in Kenya
The Invictus Games Foundation staged a week‑long marathon in Kenya, drawing wounded servicemen and women from ten countries to run, hike and cycle up to 120 km on Oct. 10.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Veterans from ten countries gathered in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley for a week‑long endurance challenge organised by the Invictus Games Foundation, the charity founded by Prince Harry. The event, timed for World Mental Health Day on Saturday 10 October, will see 25 serving and former personnel run, hike or cycle up to 120 km across the valley.
What happened
Participants include a Ukrainian reconnaissance squad commander who survived a drone‑delivered grenade in Donetsk and a Danish combat engineer who cleared roadside bombs in Afghanistan. They will undertake the challenges on 10 October, the day designated by the World Health Organization as World Mental Health Day.
What the reports add
The Telegraph notes that the Ukrainian veteran, 34‑year‑old Vasyl, spent more than 19 months on the front line before being wounded by shrapnel that still causes frequent leg pain. He said the physical injury is easier to bear than the loss of comrades. The article also mentions that participants will cover distances of up to 120 km, and that the event aims to build confidence, resilience and camaraderie among injured service personnel.
What was said
Vasyl told the Telegraph, “There is a level of kindness between comrades in a trench that you will never find in civilian life… For me, the pain of loss is the hardest thing the war has left behind.” He added, “I realised that sport, together with discipline, could help me recover and improve,” and expressed hope that the trip will show other Ukrainian veterans “different ways to grow and the opportunities available to them, rather than remaining in the despair that war has brought.”
How it came about
The Invictus Games Foundation, created by the Duke of Sussex in 2014, organises sport‑based programmes for wounded, injured and sick service personnel. The Kenya challenge is part of its broader “Invictus Adventures Impact Marathon” series, which seeks to use endurance sport to aid physical and mental recovery for veterans worldwide.
Key facts
- The Invictus Games Foundation organised a week‑long endurance challenge in Kenya's Great Rift Valley. (telegraph.co.uk)
- 25 serving and former personnel from ten countries will run, hike or cycle up to 120 km on 10 October. (telegraph.co.uk)
- Ukrainian veteran Vasyl was wounded by a drone‑delivered grenade in Donetsk and still experiences leg pain. (telegraph.co.uk)
- Vasyl said sport and discipline helped his recovery and hopes the event will inspire other Ukrainian veterans. (telegraph.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] telegraph.co.uk — originally reported as “Harry’s Invictus Games challenge in Kenya is helping veterans battle physical and mental scars”
