Invictus Games 2016 competitors from Florida and Australia, Disney Sports officials and Invictus Games officials visited the event site for the Invictus Games Orlando 2016, presented by Jaguar Land Rover, for the first time.
Retired Chief Petty Officer Javier Rodriguez from the Orlando area, Retired Petty Officer 3rd Class Henry Sawyer of Callahan, Fla. (near Jacksonville) and Private Paul Warren of the Australian Army were among the Invictus Games group on hand. Rodriguez and Sawyer threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Cardinals-Braves game at Disney this afternoon.
Petty Officer Rodriguez, a United States Navy officer who served on various submarines and naval bases since 2002, competes in wheelchair basketball.
Petty Officer Sawyer, a Florida native who played semi-pro football, served two tours in South America with the United States Navy and now competes in wheelchair rugby, winning medals at the Warrior Games and National Veteran Wheelchair Games.
Private Warren plays wheelchair basketball and competes in the 100-meter dash in track and field.
The Invictus Games is the only international adaptive sporting event for wounded, ill and injured active duty and veteran service members. The Invictus Games Orlando 2016 will bring together more than 500 competitors from up to 15 nations to compete in 10 sports – archery, cycling, indoor rowing, powerlifting, sitting volleyball, swimming, track and field, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair tennis.
