The competitors were officially appointed at a ceremony at the Military Training and Fitness Centre in Zakopane, southern Poland, on Wednesday.
Deputy Defence Minister Stanisław Wziątek said the event demonstrates the soldiers’ determination and willingness to remain active despite health problems.
Wziątek said participation should help veterans return to activity and feel ready for further service. He said the Polish contingent will travel to Birmingham together with a support team.
The Invictus Games are an international sporting competition for soldiers and veterans who were injured or became ill while serving. Sport is used as part of rehabilitation, helping participants return to activity and build a community.
Krzysztof Kosiński, director of the social affairs department at the Polish Ministry of Defence, said the Games bring together veteran communities from different countries.
He said national teams effectively become one team working together and demonstrating the strength of injured military veterans.
Kosiński said the Polish team was selected from applications submitted by veterans.
The selection committee chose 18 competitors from the applicants, while another 40 people who did not qualify for Birmingham could take part in future Invictus Games.
The disciplines vary depending on the organisers’ decisions. They include athletics, swimming and sitting volleyball, among others. Veterans from different branches of the armed forces and military units take part.
One of Poland’s competitors is Navy Lt. Col. Joanna Lewandowska. She said she suffered an injury two years ago while on duty during an officers’ course at the Air Force Academy in Dęblin, eastern Poland.
Lewandowska said she was the first and so far only woman to join the Polish team.
She described receiving her appointment as an emotional moment that gave her courage and strength to pursue her dreams.
The first Invictus Games were held in London in 2014. The event was initiated by Britain's Prince Harry after he was inspired by the US Warrior Games in 2013 and was developed in cooperation with the UK Ministry of Defence.
Invictus is Latin for "undefeated."
(sp/gs)
Source: PAP