Following a touching welcome to Canada at the airport - including traditional drums, hearty hellos and bonjours from volunteers, and even a DJ spinning Aussie tunes as Team Australia landed in Vancouver on a Royal Australian Air Force KC-30A a few days earlier, the warm Invictus spirit continued, making the Aussies feel right at home despite the frigid conditions.
The 12,500-kilometre and 18-hour trek across the Pacific Ocean was a physically and mentally tiring one but the jet lag was long forgotten at the opening ceremony where the 33 Australian competitors, staff and about 100 family and friends danced along to live music from Chris Martin, Katy Perry, Noah Kahan, Nelly Furtardo and Quebec's own alt-pop star Roxane Bruneau.
The parade of nations was a particular highlight for Royal Australian Navy Lieutenant Commander Dave Miln, who was honoured with leading the team as Australian flag-bearer.
"It's been a long journey but it's an incredible honour to be given that responsibility, to carry the flag for the team and be that person out the front," he said.
"It's an amazing team of 33, we're all incredibly close and we've created an incredible bond over all the camps we've had but being here just reinforces that."
With a crowd of 40,000 watching on, Lieutenant Commander Miln led the Aussie contingent onto the stage signalling the high point of a long journey for the 39-year-old, who was injured in a tragic snow-removal-machine accident in California in 2023, resulting in the loss of both legs, fractured pelvis and six smashed vertebrae following a selfless act to save his children.
"It's been a long journey to get to this point so I'm just letting everything sink in and process," he said.
"It's been a lot for the family; it's the first time back on the snow since the accident for us so it has a double factor, for us as a family, looking to process and move forward," he said.
That spirit and determination was mirrored during the official opening address from Games patron Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, who founded the competition over a decade ago to support the recovery and rehabilitation of international wounded, injured and ill current and former serving military personnel.
"Over the past decade I've lost count of the times we've heard you tell us that the Invictus Games saved you. Respectfully, I disagree," Prince Harry told the crowd at Vancouver Convention Centre.
"Invictus didn't save you. You saved yourself. It was you, who pushed through the doubt and despair. You, who summited your own mountain and brought us along with you. It was you who kept going even when you didn't think you had any more to give. We didn't do that. You did.
"The Games simply reveal what is already within you. That scarcest - and most precious - of the world's resources: character. A spirit; of fortitude and perseverance that can never be defeated."
Following the opener, it was straight into the action with initial wheelchair basketball pool matches, where Team Australia took on Georgia, succumbing to the former Soviet republic nation 9 points to 12.
Play continues with more wheelchair basketball matches as well as wheelchair curling on day 2, before competitors head to Whistler for snow sports action on days 3, 4 and 5.
Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 continues until 16 February where the Australian Defence Force is partnering with Invictus Australia to support a team of 33 serving and former serving military members.
