A CRAVEN army captain has been selected for the 130-strong British Armed Forces Team to compete in the inaugural Invictus Games.

Rob Cromey-Hawke, 30, who lives in Cowling, will be part of the swimming and cycling teams representing Great Britain in the games, which will be staged over four days in September and will attract competitors from all over the UK, from Kinloss to Torpoint.

Events will include include archery, athletics, wheelchair basketball and rugby, cycling, powerlifting, indoor rowing, swimming, sitting volleyball and a special driving challenge organised by Jaguar Land Rover.

The team has been trained and supported by Help for Heroes and the Ministry of Defence.

A captain with the Royal Engineers, Rob damaged his back during a tour of Afghanistan in 2012. He also suffered hearing loss and a brain injury, which has left him with memory and concentration problems, as well as balance, dizziness and light sensitivity issues after the vehicle in which he was travelling drove over an Improvised Explosive Device.

A keen triathlete, Help for Heroes has helped Rob’s return to sport by funding a high-performance recumbent trike as well as a racing wheelchair. After his injury, Rob was convinced he wouldn’t be able to take part in competitive sports again but now credits Help for Heroes staff and support with showing him how to push himself to his best ability.

He said he would be going all out to bring home a medal for the Invictus Games team – the biggest British military sports team ever assembled from wounded, injured or sick men and women.

“I think it’s wonderful to have been selected and hopefully the Invictus Games will continue as a legacy,” he said.

Rob, who competed in the Cotswold 113 triathlon and Ironman UK this year, has taken part in Invictus Games training camps at Tedworth and Phoenix House Recovery Centres.

Martin Colclough, British team manager for the games and head of sports recovery at Help for Heroes, said: “Sport plays such an important part in the recovery of our ill and injured and it’s fantastic we’ve been able to provide them with this opportunity. We’ve got a great team that is going to be a force to be reckoned with during the Invictus Games!”

Rob’s cycling competition will take place on September 13 at Lee Valley Velo Park and swimming will take place on September 14 at the Aquatics Centre, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Tickets are on sale at invictusgames.org

Any veterans, who served in the Army, Royal Navy, Royal Marines or Royal Air Force and need the help of the Help for Heroes Phoenix House Recovery Centre in Catterick, can self-refer by calling 01748 834148.