More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
An army veteran has spoken of his excitement at competing in the Invictus Games.
Former Abbey School pupil Kemsley Whittlesea, a tattoo artist with a shop in Folkestone, will be involved in multiple sports at the event, which begins in Canada this weekend, as part of the Royal British Legion’s UK team.
“In the beginning part of last year, I went out to Borneo [in Asia] with the Invictus Foundation,” said Whittlesea, who served with the Royal Signals for 15 years until he was medically discharged because of a shoulder injury and has since started to also suffer with elbow problems.
“A lot of the others involved were from Australia, America and all over the place. They said ‘Have you ever applied to do the Invictus Games before?’ and I said ‘No’ - but fortunately, I did.
“The British Legion is really good. It’s all about peoples’ stories and where you have come from with them.
“I’m just really pleased to be a part of the team.”
Whittlesea has done his fair share of travelling, with his time in the army including tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, but he has never been to Canada.
“This will be my first time,” he said. “Obviously, I’m looking forward to the Games and looking forward to seeing people that I have served with.
“Looking at the videos from previous years [of the Games], I don’t think I really realised the success of it.
“The Vancouver Innovation Centre will be completely full!
“It will be nice to be in that environment. All the sports I’ll be doing, I’ve never done them before.
“I’ve done seven training camps to make sure I’m ready.”
On how he found out he had been successful in applying to take part, 38-year-old Whittlesea said: “We had the initial camps, meeting the management team.
“We had to tell them about ourselves, our careers in the army and how we’d got involved.
“We did three of those. But I, honestly, didn’t expect to get in.
“One day, I got a call and I don’t get long in between clients but they said ‘No problem, it’s just a quick call to say that you have been selected!’. Then, there were further camps to work out what sports I will be doing.
“I’m just really looking forward to it now.”
Whittlesea has enjoyed the community spirit within the camp as they get ready for action at the Invictus Games. It will be held in Vancouver and Whistler from this Saturday until February 16, the Games having been launched by Prince Harry in London in 2014.
“Every time you go to the training camps, there’s been banter straight away,” he said.
“Some people are quite ruthless with it because there’s people missing legs and missing arms. But I think it’s good to have that kind of banter in a safe environment.
“I just cannot wait for it. The whole Games itself - in terms of what Harry has done - it started fairly small.
"But there’s going to be up to 550 athletes from up to 25 countries involved this time.
“It does really well.”
Whittlesea will be involved in sitting volleyball, alpine snowboarding, skeleton and indoor rowing at the Invictus Games, which will be the first event with a Winter Sports element.
He said: “I’m looking forward to sitting volleyball, purely because it’s the first team sport I’ve been involved in.
“I’ve never played football or anything like that. But with the skeleton, that’ll be fun, as well.
“Not many people get to chuck themselves down a chunk of ice with their face two inches from the floor!”
Among those Whittlesea will face during the sitting volleyball competition are the hosts.
He confirmed: “We’re playing Canada, which will be a good game with a lot of people supporting them. We have got Afghanistan and Colombia, as well.
“But I’m not looking forward to the Colombia game as much because I know they’re quite good!”
The Games may present Whittlesea with the opportunity to meet Prince Harry, albeit not for the first time.
“I’ve done bits with him before,” he revealed. “He always tries to meet peoples’ family and friends.
"It would be good if I get to meet him, just to express my thanks.
“What he has done is unbelievable. It’s life-changing for some people.”
He said: “I keep bumping into people, don’t I?!
“I did the Walk for America in 2018 and Jill Biden was the US patron.
“Then when they came over for the G7 Summit, I got a phone call to say would we like to meet up with them for lunch. That was slightly surreal!
“It’s been a good few years.”
Whittlesea makes do with travelling around his home county, rather than the world, these days.
He said: “I live in Maidstone but work in Folkestone.
“I spent most of my career going around the world but, now, it’s around Kent!
“But it’s nice, being next to the sea in Folkestone.”
After the Invictus Games in Canada, it returns to UK soil.
Whittlesea stated: “It’s going to be in Birmingham in 2027.
“If I’m not competing, I still think I’ll want to go and volunteer. What’s nice is, even after people have competed in the Games, people still want to get involved.
“I’ve kind of done it the wrong way around. The majority tend to do the Invictus Games and then an expedition, but I’ve done it the other way around.
“For people who haven’t done anything similar before, it’s great, but also a massive shock. You have clothes sponsors and media stuff to do.
“I suppose some people might have a bit of a comedown at the end so it’s nice they get good support.
“Hopefully, stuff like this will help to get the word out there because there’s still people who might not really have a clue what this is.
“But it’s a massive thing within our community.”
Royal British Legion’s team UK manager Louise Assioun said: “For the selected individuals, being part of a team again, representing their country and being around others who are all on their individual recovery pathway is what makes Team UK’s journey to the Invictus Games so unique.
“The Royal British Legion is proud to support them every step of the way.”
