Invictus Games: Fife veteran set to compete on global stage at The Hague

Stuart Padley will be part of 61-strong team of wounded, injured and sick military personnel and veterans at the international sporting event in the Netherlands.He will represent Team UK in archery and rowing - and he has his sights set firmly on the Paralympics.

The Invictus Games were originally planned for October 2019, but twice postponed because of the pandemic. They will now get underway from April 16-22.

Stuart, 34, was serving in the Royal Navy when he suffered a stroke in 2018.

He was medically discharged from the military in 2020.

The stroke resulted in mobility problems and aphasia - a communication disorder, which affects speaking, reading, listening and writing.

He said: “I have found that focusing on sports has helped immensely with my mental well-being and fitness.

“I had an amazing experience at the Invictus UK trials. They enabled me to try new sports and allowed me to test all of the exercises I have learned during my recovery, showing my family and those that helped me what I can achieve.”

Stuart, who will be cheered on at the games by fiancée Jacqueline and his dad, Neil, added: “I am not one for giving up so after the Invictus Games I would like to try for the Paralympics.”

And he paid tribute to the support he got from Help From Heroes, the organisation which supports wounded veterans.

He said: ““Without their clinical team I would have had to make do with support braces that don’t allow me to take part in certain physical and sporting activities.

“ Duane Fletcher, veterans’ clinical advisor at Help for Heroes, is working closely with me to get a new leg brace made. These made-to-measure ones allow me a much better quality of life.

As well as the regular Invictus Games training camps, Stuart has been preparing for his specialist events with McDonough Fitness, Kingdom of Fife Fletchers archery club and Cluny Activities.

Team UK will compete in nine sports - athletics; archery; wheelchair basketball; cycling; powerlifting; indoor rowing; wheelchair rugby; swimming and sitting volleyball.