'Invictus Games gave purpose after military life'

A former army serviceman who broke his neck and back in a bike accident four years ago has said he is "elated" to be competing in the Invictus Games.

Rob Shenton, from Eastleigh in Hampshire, will complete in Nordic skiing and indoor rowing after successfully applying to the UK team on his fourth attempt.

He spent 25 years in the army before being discharged on mental health grounds after suffering from recurrent depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Invictus Games, a multi-sport competition for wounded or sick military personnel and veterans, begins on 8 February in Whistler, Canada.

Mr Shenton is no stranger to athletic feats, having previous run the Marathon des Sables, the Everest Marathon and North Pole Marathon to raise funds for charity, and he was also a Queens Commonwealth Baton Relay runner for Southampton.

He first applied to be on Team UK for the 2018 Invictus Games but was unsuccessful, as he was on two further attempts.

Whilst Mr Shenton continued to train and apply to the Games, in August 2020 he was seriously injured in a bike accident, fracturing his skull and breaking six vertebrae.

It took him about eight months to recover from his injuries - a process helped by his training as he continued to work towards a place in Team UK.

"My training improved the mobility I have in my back. It's given me that confidence in myself and in my abilities again," he said.

Asked for his reaction when he found out he had made the squad for 2025, Mr Shenton said: "'Crikey - I've got to learn to Nordic ski', because I'd never done it in my life.

"But I was elated. My wife was probably more emotional than I was about it.

"There were a lot of people contacting me to say I deserved it."

Mr Shenton said he was attracted to Nordic skiing and rowing because of how difficult they were.

"I thought 'I'll give that a go'," he said, adding: "I just wanted to push myself that little bit further."

While he completed a few days ski training in Norway in December, he has primarily been training on roller skis.

"By the time I'm on the start line with 'United Kingdom' written on my back, I've already won, but I'm going to aim for personal bests," he said.

He added the Invictus Games gave him and other competitors "purpose after life in the armed forces".

"It's a chance for us to bond and to come together... but also for us to realise there's something beyond military service."

Mr Shenton said it was a "shock" to leave the military when he was discharged and his poor mental health after leaving the army impacted his ability to participate in sport.

"You lose part of your identity when you take off that uniform," he said.

"It has always been a part of my life but once I was medically discharged it almost stopped.

"Invictus gave me that purpose again."

Asked what message he had for anyone attempting something similar who had experienced difficult circumstances, Mr Shenton said: "Keep going.

"It's always going to be difficult, you're always going to hit those dark places.

"Keep going, ask for support and be kind to yourself."

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