15 February 2025
Strength. Courage. Camaraderie. Three words that sum up Team Australia’s performances during day 7 of Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025.
Action moved to the University of British Columbia Aquatic Centre, with the Aussies joining 22 other nations for a blockbuster day of swimming heats and finals.
For Aussie swim star Chelsie Clayton, the day highlighted how far she has come in the last 10 years.
Despite swimming since she was 2, competing from the age of 8 and training daily up to the age of 18, she gave it all away when performance anxiety got too much. About a decade later, she was encouraged to jump back into swimming after being named in Australia’s 2024 Warrior Games team.
Chelsie walked away with a slew of top-notch performances, proving to herself she could confront her internal monologue.
“You shouldn’t let fear get in the way of a good thing,” the former Army medic said. “And that’s all it is. It’s all internal fear for no real reason.
“Now I know that pressures not there anymore. I’m not an Olympian, I’m not out here trying to break world records, I’m just here trying to swim as fast as I can.”
Her performance in the Invictus Games pool showed she is well on her way to conquering those demons.
The 28-year-old earned a number of medals, including 3 silvers just behind Team USA’s Lydia Figary.
Finishing tenths of a second behind her US camaraderie wasn’t a big issue for Chels.
“I’m racing against girls who are just as terrific and have been through just as much as I have, so losing to a woman like Lydia, honestly, it’s not a bad thing at all,” the Brisbane nurse said.
“She’s a wonderful girl. If anything, it’s a privilege to lose to someone like her. I’m just happy to be out there doing it again.”
The Invictus swimming competition was also hugely successful for a number of other Aussies, with standout performances from Lieutenant Commander Dave Miln and Jo Lovell, among others.
For the penultimate day of play tomorrow, action moves on to the sitting volleyball competition, where our talented fish Chelsie will back up alongside 12 other Australian players to take on Team Canada first up.
Despite being a demon in the pool, Chelsie says sitting volleyball is her favourite sport of the Games.
“I love swimming, but that volleyball team is just the best,” she said.
“We all just cack ourselves all through training, we just have the best camaraderie in the team.
“There’s no pressure and (coach) WO1 Tony Farrer’s really good at that; he doesn’t make us feel like it’s life or death.
“Life’s better when it’s fun.”
