A former paratrooper from Bedwas is waiting to hear whether he’s been selected to represent the UK at this year’s Invictus Games in Sydney.
John Prosser, 53, joined 450 other hopefuls at the Invictus Games UK team trials in Bath this month along with patron Prince Harry, and his fiancé Meghan Markle.
John won silver and gold medals in swimming and rowing events at the Orlando games in 2016 and is keen to be chosen as part of the 72-strong UK team competing in Australia this October.
He had to take part in 12 events over four days as he battled for a highly sought-after place on the squad.
John competed in cycling, track and field, athletics,swimming and rowing competitions.
During a 25-year career in the army, serving in the Parachute Regiment and Royal Logistical Corps, John sustained a series of injuries to his back which left him confined to a wheelchair in 2010.
John says he struggled with the transition from army life, particularly while his home was adapted to accommodate his changing needs.
“It was a very, very difficult time. I was very angry, very frustrated. Not a very pleasant person to be with.”
There was an impact on John’s family too. “It affected Lesley a lot, she had to give up work to look after me full-time. It was very difficult to see a way forward in my life.”
John’s injury had also put the brakes on his training regimen, something he previously relished.
“I was always very active, always doing long-distance running and rowing.”
A turning-point for John came when he found out about the work Help for Heroes was doing to help wounded and injured servicemen and women and he became one of the first people to join the charity’s Band of Brothers.
After he was put on the National Exercise Referral Scheme, John began to train at Caerphilly Leisure Centre to improve his fitness. As he lost weight, John began to feel more positive about life and decided to start challenging himself further.
He’d previously enjoyed rowing and took the sport up again,training on the River Taff.
With support from Help for Heroes, John successfully competed for a place at the Orlando games two years ago.
Help for Heroes has provided John with the loan of a handbike to train with, and he’s become a familiar sight on the roads around Caerphilly as he’s worked on building his fitness in preparation for the games.
John used to love hill running and says the bike has given him the closest feeling yet to the buzz he used to get from being on the Welsh hills,something he really missed after his injury left him housebound.
“I’m more active now, it’s really important for your sense of wellbeing to have a focus.”
John says the improvement in his wellbeing has helped him cope with the chronic pain he’s been living with,as a result of his injury,and he’s managed to reduce his medication since taking up exercise again.
John will find later this month if he’s been selected for the Sydney games.
Selection will be based on the benefit the Invictus Games will give an individual as part of their recovery,combined with performance and commitment to training.
“It would be a fantastic opportunity to compete again in another Invictus Games alongside other wounded athletes from around the UK and other countries.
But if it does not happen I will be focusing on getting my paratriathlon classification done this year and hopefully compete in my first triathlon.”