Estonian president meets with veterans taking part in Invictus Games

TALLINN - President Kersti Kaljulaid on Friday met with the veterans of the Estonian defense forces to represent the country at the Invictus Games in Australia who introduced to the head of state the aims set for the games.

"Our soldiers are very dear to me and our injured soldiers are worthy of attention, recognition and support. I am glad to see that people have in them ambition and optimism, they go engage in several fields at once and there is a very strong and good sense of a team," Kaljulaid was quoted by the president's office as saying.

The head of state and the veterans discussed the everyday lives of the veterans, the process of preparing for the games and the characteristics of the fields featured in the games. The competitors also told the president more closely about their expectations regarding this year's games.

Estonia will be represented at this year's Invictus Games by a team of 15 veterans. Estonian veterans have been taking part in the games since their inception in 2014.

In the 2017 edition of the games in Canada, Estonians won eight medals.

The Invictus Games for wounded servicemen and women is a format first organized by Prince Harry in 2014. The fourth such games, to be held in Sydney in the second half of October, will see over 500 competitors from 18 countries compete in 11 sports.