A man from Gelligaer will represent the UK at the 2020 Invictus Games.
Jonathan Congreve, 57, has been selected as part of the 65-strong team of wounded, injured and sick military personnel and veterans who will represent the UK in The Hague, Netherlands.
The team was announced at the Honourable Artillery Company in London on Tuesday, October 29.
Mr Congreve, along with fellow competitors, will now take part in Help for Heroes-run training camps to prepare for the competition, which will be held in May.
He is hoping to compete in archery, indoor rowing and swimming,
Army veteran Mr Congreve, who has been diagnosed with PTSD, said sport and Invictus training camps have boosted his confidence and self-esteem, with his family describing him as being nearly “back to normal”.
Mr Congreve signed up to the army in 1989 and served for 22 years, going on to become a staff sergeant with the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers.
He suffered injuries and illnesses such as cervical disc disease, Osteoarthritis and Bilateral tendinitis, which affects his hips and back.
Help for Heroes’ Hannah Lawton, who is in charge of Team UK, said: “The 65 men and women selected to represent Team UK will not only gain a personal recovery benefit from taking part in the games but they will hopefully inspire others suffering with life-changing injuries or illnesses that anything is possible.
“Our competitors are proudly serving their country again and showing that they will not let their injury or illness define them.
“The legacy of the games is strong, and they are providing a gateway for more wounded veterans and service personnel to benefit from the Help for Heroes Sports Recovery programme.”
Help for Heroes Wales & Hereford sports recovery coordinator, Nick Vanderpump said: “I’ve seen the difference community sports recovery has played in the lives of the men and women who will be taking part in this inspirational event. Even when someone is affected by illness or injury, sport is incredibly powerful in bringing people together and giving them purpose in life.”
Invictus UK is delivered by Help for Heroes, in partnership with the Ministry of Defence and the Royal British Legion.