College student in Invictus Games
Niagara College student Jason Pulver is among the 90 athletes representing Canada at the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto, which started Saturday.
The bachelor of business administration – human resources student from Niagara Falls competed in shot put on Sunday and will compete in discus today and wheelchair basketball on Thursday and Friday.
The Invictus Games are seven days of sporting events for the wounded, ill or injured serving members of the military, along with veterans. About 550 competitors from 17 nations are competing this year. The Games run Sept. 23 to 30. Pulver graduated from Niagara College’s police foundations program in 2003 and served as a military police corporal from 2005 to 2010 at Canadian Forces Base Borden, CFB Esquimalt and CFB Kingston. An ankle injury and post-traumatic stress disorder forced him to retire from the Forces.
He returned to Niagara College this month.
“I played basketball at Niagara College when I was able-bodied, now not even injury can stop me from playing the game I love, I just play in a wheelchair now,” he said. “In some strange way, my basketball career is coming full circle through Niagara College.”
Pulver was inspired by last year’s Invictus Games and was determined to participate this year. He has been training since November when he heard he was selected for Team Canada.
“I am very excited to compete, as this is my chance to show my friends and family that I am on the road to recovery from my injuries.”
The Games were created by Prince Harry in 2015 in London, England. The second Games took place at Disney World in Orlando, Fla.
In addition to competing, Pulver is looking forward to meeting other vets in the same situation.
“Once you leave the military, the sense of brother/sisterhood is lost, as civilians do not understand our culture or our injuries,” he said. “Getting to hang out with fellow vets who are struggling with similar injuries feels like I am normal again.”