Inaugural Invictus Australia Sports Festival Concludes in Perth
The inaugural Invictus Australia Sports Festival, presented by ATCO, concluded in Perth on 25 October, bringing together wounded, injured and ill service personnel and veterans from Australia, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea for three days of adaptive sport and community engagement.
Held from 23-25 October, the Festival featured competition in Indoor Rowing, Swimming, Pickleball and Sitting Volleyball. The programme also included a symposium focused on veteran recovery and wellbeing, as well as a community sport expo connecting participants with organisations supporting health, rehabilitation and ongoing sport participation.
Supported by the Invictus Games Foundation, the Festival reflects a commitment to strengthening the global Invictus Movement by creating opportunities for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans to remain engaged with the community Beyond the Games and across the global movement.
The Festival opened on Friday with the Invictus Australia Knowledge and Translation Symposium, providing an opportunity for competitors, families, practitioners and supporters to explore the role of sport in their recovery and the importance of building pathways for ongoing participation beyond major events.
Competition commenced on Saturday, October 24 with Indoor Rowing at Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre before competitors moved to Scarborough Pool for Swimming events later in the day.
The Festival concluded on Sunday, October 25 at the High Performance Centre in Mount Claremont, where competitors took part in Pickleball and Sitting Volleyball. Both sports attracted strong participation, with pickleball being a popular choice for the competitors, as the sport builds momentum in the Invictus Community ahead of its debut at the Invictus Games Birmingham 2027.
Beyond competition, the Festival provided an opportunity for participants from across the Asia-Pacific region to connect through shared experiences and engage with the wider Invictus community.
Reflecting on his experience, Australian competitor Daniel Costelloe said: "Winning the gold medal was incredible. A lot of hard work's gone into this and I just can't believe I've won a medal at the Festival."
Costelloe, who won gold in Pickleball Doubles alongside Kirsten Funston, added: "It's on my home soil, so it's the greatest feeling ever. To be here in Australia, to win in Perth at the Sports Festival and against my other teammates, I can't put it into words."
The Festival was established to provide additional opportunities for adaptive sport participation between editions of the Invictus Games and to strengthen connections across the defence communities of the region. It also marked an important step in the continued growth of the Invictus movement in the Asia-Pacific, creating new opportunities for international engagement through sport.
Reflecting on the significance of the event, Invictus Games Foundation CEO Rob Owen OBE said: "The launch of the Invictus Australia Sports Festival marks an exciting step forward in the evolution of the global Invictus Movement.
"Our ambition is to create more opportunities, in more places and in more ways, for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans to experience the healing power of sport and community," he said.
Glenn Keys AO, Chair of Invictus Australia and member of the Board of Trustees for the Invictus Games Foundation said that Australia was "delighted" to host the sports festival.
"This event will not only provide meaningful competitive opportunities for our own veteran community, but also strengthen regional connections and share best practice in sports recovery," Glenn said.
Sports Festivals
The Invictus Australia Sports Festival is part of a growing network of regional initiatives delivered by legacy organisations across the Invictus Movement.
Through events such as those delivered by Invictus Australia and Invictus Germany, wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans have additional opportunities to stay engaged with sport and the wider Invictus community between editions of the Invictus Games.
Thanks to sports festival presenting partner ATCO these events extend the impact of the Movement beyond the Games themselves while strengthening connections across national borders.