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A pair of Kelowna athletes are on their way to San Diego to represent Team Canada at the U.S. Marine Corps Trials Feb. 28 to March 12.
As part of the run up to the 2020 Invictus Games taking place in May in the Netherlands, the Marine Corps Trials is an adaptive sports competition for wounded, ill or injured serving military personnel and veterans.
Kelowna’s Mike Bourgeois will be competing in archery and cycling while teammate Julian Kirschner will cycle and swim.
Bourgeois says his road to the Invictus Games began about two years ago when he, as a veteran, had a significant heart health challenge.
“I wanted to do something that would be new and challenging that I could focus on,” he said, explaining he purchased a bow from a local store, making the deliberate choice to pick something where he had zero experience.
After starting to shoot every day, one of his coaches took notice, and after learning his story encouraged him to compete and apply for Canada’s Invictus team.
“I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would get chosen or make the team, but I did,” Bourgeois said, adding he was also offered a space on the national Invictus cycling team days later.
Since then, he’s been training hard every day. While he had a setback in a cycling crash that broke his shoulder, Bourgeois says he is still able to draw his bow.
Featuring more than 250 athletes from seven countries, this is the first time a Canadian team will be taking part in the U.S. Marine Corps Trials. Afterwards, Bourgeois says their focus will turn to the Invictus Games in May.
Most teammates, including Bourgeois, are operating GoFundMe campaigns to support their training and equipment purchases. Bourgeois says numerous sponsors have already stepped up to help Team Canada.
“The spirit of Invictus is about being unconquered and new beginnings,” Bourgeois said.
“I guess I’m living testimony that you can take someone that knows absolutely nothing, and with enough effort and the right instruction, you can do pretty well.”
The Invictus Games were created in 2014 by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and have since grown into a massive international sporting event.
