The meeting between the Games’ founder, Prince Harry, and Dutch athlete Jelle van der Steen sums up its unique appeal
Play was held up at the Invictus Games on Thursday by a late arrival to the wheelchair basketball. Jelle van der Steen, a mainstay of the Dutch national side, had to make a late withdrawal from the tournament after he was hit by illness and forced into surgery. But as his teammates prepared for tip-off in The Hague the former marine was escorted on to the court – in his hospital bed – so he could share the moment. The Netherlands went on to beat Canada 23-10.
It was an incident that sums up the event, which is being staged this year for the fifth time. It sees former service people who experienced life-changing injuries in the line of duty compete in a number of adaptive sports. The Invictus Games is not short on spirit, endeavour or camaraderie, and in the Netherlands this spring – the event ends on Friday – it has grown in scale and prominence once again.
