When are the Invictus Games 2018 in Sydney, will Prince Harry be there with Meghan Markle and what countries are competing in Australia?
THE 2018 Invictus Games has headed Down Under and, as usual, all eyes are on the inspirational competitors and the Prince who made it all possible.
Here's all you need to know.
Where is the Invictus Games 2018 and when are they being held?
This year, the Invictus Games are held in Sydney, Australia.
It kicked off when Prince Harry officially opened the Games on Saturday, October 20, 2018.
Events will be held across Sydney, including the Sydney Olympic Park and around the Sydney Harbour.
It will come to a close on Saturday, October 27.
What are the Invictus Games?
The Invictus Games are an international Paralympic-style sporting event for wounded, sick or injured members of the armed forces, as well as veterans.
The week-long event will see 550 competitors from 17 nations competing against one another in 12 different sports.
Prince Harry created the games after being inspired by the US Warrior Games, a similar sporting event for injured service personnel.
Sporting events at the games include wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball and indoor rowing, and the events tend to attract a crowd packed with politicians and royals.
The first ever Invictus Games took place in March 2014 at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, United Kingdom.
In Latin, Invictus means "unconquered" or "undefeated", capturing the spirit of the injured services personnel who take part.
What countries will take part in The Invictus Games 2018?
The 2018 Invictus Games in Sydney will feature more than 500 competitors from a record 18 nations.
They are as follows:
- Afghanistan
- Australia
- Canada
- Denmark
- Estonia
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Iraq
- Italy
- Jordan
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Poland
- Romania
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- USA
What events and sports are being held at the Invictus Games 2018?
There will be 11 different sports at the Invictus Games and while the adaptive sports are similar to the standard versions, there can be slight differences.
For full information on these adaptive sports, the .
The following sports will be featured in 2018:
- Archery
- Athletics
- Indoor Rowing
- Jaguar Land Rover Driving Challenge
- Powerlifting
- Road Cycling
- Sailing
- Sitting Volleyball
- Swimming
- Wheelchair Basketball
- Wheelchair Rugby
MORE ON THE INVICTUS GAMES
Will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend the Invictus Games 2018?
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's tour of Australia and New Zealand coincides with the Games, which kicked off on October 20 and run until October 27.
On October 20, the couple, who announced on October 15 that they're expecting their first child, travelled by boat to the Games in Sydney, where Prince Harry gave a speech during the opening ceremony.
The following day, Prince Harry attended some events including cycling and sailing, while pregnant Meghan was forced to rest, before returning to their tour commitments.
They will return to the games on October 27, where they will both give speeches at the closing ceremonies.
At the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto, Meghan appeared alongside Harry to make their first official appearance as a couple.
This was back before they were set to be married and sparked a frenzy of royal engagement speculation.
Royal experts said Harry’s decision to invite Meghan’s mum Doria Ragland to join them at the closing ceremony of his Invictus Games was “hugely significant.”