With the 10-year anniversary of the Invictus Games taking place this year and with the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 less than a year away, True Patriot Love reached out to Team Canada alumni for their reflections on their Invictus experience and to find out where they are now.
Erika Moore participated in the Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023.
- What memory from your Games stands out for you?
Being able to spend time with my fellow Canadian competitors and supporting one another. It was fantastic to see so many competitors being given the chance from around the globe to demonstrate their strengths in an internationally developed stage. I remember the organization and the professional coaches and staff and volunteers. We could not have asked for anything better to support the competitors.
- What did Invictus mean to you?
Invictus meant that I can continue to live my life’s dream of competition and actually competing in 3 sports was empowering me to try harder and strive to self improve.
- What advice would you give Team Canada 2025?
What I would like to tell Team Canada 2025 is to work hard and you are all superstars every day and believe that you can compete and be so very proud of Canada. Invictus Games is supporting you 110% every day. Measure your success by comradery and seek out those individuals whom you want because it’s all about your own personal goals.
- What did you learn about yourself while training and when competing?
What seemed like an impossible task, the Invictus Games helped me to achieve. To accomplish something to valuable in my life the power of sport and competition. After lying in the hospital bed after surgery I learned that it takes consistent effort but that I can do what I really want because my mind is powerful. I learned that it is alright to seek help from fellow competitors because we have all encountered similar experiences in life. I leaned that I am stronger than I thought and that pushing the limits helped me to achieve more. I grew as a person and as a team.
- How does your life look different now than it did before you went to the Invictus Games?
What I see now is that I can continue down that same path of competition and I cannot wait to compete again at my level. Being a competitor at the Invictus Games built me up to be stronger in my mind and body. It gave me hope and made my dreams come true. I believe in the power of sport I believe in my team and I believe that I am great. I believe that by helping others we are really helping ourselves. I am rowing, walking, hiking and biking with pride. Having an opportunity to compete in virtual competitions has opened a new world for me with Invictus.
