A bluebird day at Whistler uncovered bucketloads of Aussie grit and determination during day 4 of Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025.
With 23 Team Australia competitors hitting the snow across 5 sports - Nordic skiing, Alpine skiing, snowboarding, biathlon and skeleton - it was always shaping up to be a huge day for the wounded, injured, and ill current and former serving military personnel taking part in the adaptive sporting competition.
But huge is an understatement for what ended up as a day of firsts, multiple medals and mateship.
The day kicked off with Nordic cross-country skiing, which tests endurance and technique as competitors race across long distances. For most of the Australian competitors, it was the first time doing the sport, no less competing against countries from across the globe.
But experience can't beat the sheer willpower of an Aussie Digger. Captain Olivia Miley-Dyer beat the competition and managed to snag the first Australian medal of the Games, finishing the 1500-metre course in 4:03.20, racing across meticulously groomed trails of Whistler Olympic Park to take gold.
"I have only done 3 or 4 days on snow so I was lucky I managed to stay on my feet," she said.
"I never thought I would be in with a gold medal chance. I just came into these Games really not expecting to medal at all so this is an added bonus."
With her parents and sisters watching on, emotions were at the fore. Family has been a critical support for the 31-year-old Army captain since being diagnosed with advanced thyroid cancer during the pandemic.
"I think I was more nervous heading into today's event than when I started treatment," the Sydneysider said.
Invictus Games competitors can participate in more than one sport, with a maximum of eight sports for any one person.
This allows team members to experience a wide range of opportunities but on this occasion resulted in a massive undertaking for a handful of competitors, who found themselves competing in multiple sports on the one day.
Tricia Reynolds was one such competitor, who started the day by hitting the Whistler Alpine Venue for novice Alpine skiing, then moved to Whistler Sliding Centre for skeleton.
Despite hitting 97 km/h down the icy track and picking up a silver behind teammate Cindy Chawner in the skeleton, Tricia said skiing was her pick of the day.
"I probably enjoyed the skiing more than the skeleton, whereas most people enjoyed the skeleton," she said.
"I am an adrenaline junkie - I loved the skeleton - but I want to do it again and do it better."
The novice Alpine skiing event was dedicated to competitors who have had less than 7 days' snow experience. Tricia started skiing last year in readiness for the Games, and has racked up little time in the skis; going through the flags for the first time ever during practice the day before competition.
"I'd never skied before last year and I didn't know how my hip was going to handle it," said the former Royal Australian Air Force military working dog handler who has already had two hip replacements in her 46 years.
"Laura Reynell from the Dusseldorf Games' team took me down to Perisher and got me on the skis.
"I just wanted to see if my hip was going to handle the pressure and it did really well.
"Then I went out and bought my boots and my helmet and now it's going to be a new sport and I'm addicted."
The Australian Defence Force is partnering with Invictus Australia to support a team of 33 serving and former serving military members to participate at the Games, which wrap up on 16 February.
