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Warrior Games to return to Colorado Springs

DoD Warrior Games Public Affairs, Feb. 16, 2018

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AFNS) — Community and business leaders joined military representatives at the Air Force Academy Feb. 15 to mark the 100-day countdown until athletes arrive in Colorado for the 2018 Department of Defense Warrior Games.

Now in its ninth year, the Warrior Games are returning to Colorado Springs, the city that hosted the inaugural Games in 2010. The event is free and open to the public throughout the competition, June 2-9.

The Warrior Games are a Paralympic-style competition between the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Special Operations Command. The UK Armed Forces, Australian Defence Force, and for the first time in Warrior Games history, the Canadian Armed Forces, confirmed they will also compete.

This will be the sixth year the U.K. will compete in the Warrior Games and the second time for the Australian Defence Force.

Lieutenant Gen. Gina Grosso, Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower, Personnel and Services, hosted the Feb. 15 event and announced the addition of three new adaptive sports to this year’s line-up: indoor rowing, power-lifting and time trial cycling. The other events include archery, cycling, shooting, sitting volleyball, swimming, track and field and wheelchair basketball.

“In my 30-plus years of service, nothing has moved me more than seeing the determination, resiliency and pure strength of our wounded, ill and injured service members,” she said. “In nearly 100 days, more than 200 warriors will arrive at Colorado Springs, Olympic City USA, to compete amongst each other for Gold, but more importantly, the camaraderie, healing and recovery that comes with competitive sports.

“This is by far and away one of the most exciting sporting events I’ve ever witnessed,” she said.

The 2018 Warrior Games are an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of wounded, injured and ill service members and veterans in overcoming adversity and thriving against the odds.

The Department of Defense Warrior Games were established in 2010 as a way to enhance the recovery and rehabilitation of wounded, ill and injured service members and to expose them to adaptive sports.

Approximately 250 wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans will participate in the competition.

Visit DoDWarriorGames.com to learn more about the Games, its athletes, volunteer opportunities and the schedule of events.

Follow the Warrior Games on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/WarriorGames/.