Unconquered Wellingborough man 'privileged' to compete in three sports at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf next week

The Invictus Games begin on September 9 in Germany, and Staff Sergeant (SSgt) Jonny Ball from Wellingborough will be making the trip to the city on the Rhine to compete in cycling, indoor rowing and powerlifting for Team UK.

Service in the armed forces and a life-altering road accident have had an impact on him over the past few years, but SSgt Jonny Ball is taking the trip to Dusseldorf, capping off a remarkable comeback achievement.

He said: “I’m just excited now, the waiting is the worst bit.

"Once out there, being there with my family, to wear the union flag again on my chest alongside an amazing group of people who are friends for life, I’ve been inspired by the journeys of my fellow teammates who have got me through this whole thing.

“The bit we don’t know is the international athletes, we’ve not met them yet, our brothers and sisters from other nations, and my little girl is going to meet families from other countries. That’s so unique.

“An ordinary person can get this, and that’s so special, and I do feel privileged, and I also think it’s a big responsibility to represent this county, the Army Reserves, my family, and myself.

“Invictus is beyond this competition.”

Jonny grew up in Kent, and joined the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment at 17.

Later, it was during a political career in London when he decided to rejoin the army in the Intelligence Corps.

He said: “I had a school friend killed in Iraq, I had a friend badly injured in Afghanistan, and I was enjoying a nice political career living in London with no real worries in life. I felt an overriding sense and pull to rejoin the armed forces.”

He did so as an intelligence analyst, and served for two-and-a-half years, where he trained as a linguist.

SSgt Jonny Ball eventually moved to Wellingborough in 2017, where an accident occurred on his ‘cherished’ Harley Davidson that would change his life.

On a routine visit to Kettering General Hospital in May, Jonny was hit from the side by a car, resulting in a month’s stay in a hospital in Coventry where he suffered serious damage to his foot, which led to four different surgeries to rebuild it using donor tissue from his other leg to avoid amputation.

In the time since, Jonny has had three reshaping surgeries, suffered infection, and further risk of losing the limb.

Jonny credits his discovery of sports recovery as a significant factor of his rehabilitation, finding refuge in the ‘welcoming community’ of Nene Training in Wellingborough.

He said: "I was in a bad way.

"I was overweight, I was probably drinking a bit too habitually, my mental health was suffering, and I was on sticks, but crawling into that gym and just having a chat with the gym owner was the first step on the Invictus journey.

“As much as this is an international event, my recovery started locally, it was all about community.

“When you become injured you’re told you won’t be able to do certain things ever again.

"A few of those things, particularly cycling because I had an accident on two wheels, I thought I’d never do again.”

An open day in Nottingham from the Royal British Legion allowed Jonny to try out a few sports like wheelchair rugby, ultimately settling on rowing, powerlifting and cycling.

He added: “My medal for the Invictus Games is that I’ve got back on two wheels again.”

“I’m now able to to enjoy that post-games to go out cycling with my little girl, and that’s what the Invictus games has given me back.”

Founded by Prince Harry and beginning in 2014, the Invictus (meaning ‘unconquered’ in Latin) Games are a week-long set of events designed to offer a pathway to recovery for wounded or injured servicemen and women.

Jonny said the Invictus Games were ‘the closest a mere mortal from Wellingborough can get to an Olympic-style event’, and that while he isn’t confident in his chances at cycling, he insists ‘that doesn’t matter.’

From everyone at the Northants Telegraph, we wish SSgt Jonny Ball the very best of luck!