British war heroes going for gold at Invictus Games
Competition is what we thrive on!
With less than a week to go until the Invictus Games, Lorraine is joined by two British war veterans who have battled against the odds after life-changing injuries to get fitter than ever in the hope of winning gold at this year's competition!
Royal Navy Officer Sean Gaffney and Lance Corporal Craig Preece are amputees who lost their limbs in the line of duty, but they refuse to let their injuries hold them back.
The inspirational pair will represent the UK in the third Invictus Games - an international Paralympic-style multi-sport spectacle in which wounded, injured or sick armed services personnel and their associated veterans take part in various sporting activities, including wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball and indoor rowing.
Craig, 33, who served with the Royal Engineers, lost his right leg below the knee and suffered damage to his left leg after a vehicle he was travelling in hit a roadside bomb in Afghanistan in 2010.
He was medically discharged from the British Army and now trains full-time for the Invictus Games. The father-of-two won two gold medals in cycling in the first-ever event in 2014, and now he's determined to bolster his medal tally.
"You're getting to showcase to the world what you can do as an injured service or ex-serviceman," Craig told Lorraine.
Serving Petty Officer Sean Gaffney, who is currently stationed at RNAS Yeovilton, had his left leg amputated after a horrific injury sustained during a training exercise in 1999.
Determined not to be beaten, the 45 year old worked tirelessly to improve his strength and fitness, with or without a leg, and will compete in eight events at this year's games.
"The important thing is getting out there, competing and showing you haven't been beaten by injury or illness," Sean told Lorraine.
More than 500 competitors from around the world will take part in the five-day tournament, held between 8th-12th of May in Orlando, America.