Triple amputee Mark Ormrod has announced his retirement as an Invictus games athlete shortly after winning his seventh medal in the shot put event at the games in Sydney this afternoon.
Mark’s participance in his second Invictus Games this year has brought him huge success after also winning another gold medal in the 50m breaststroke, an event which he has not competed in previously. He agreed to take part in this event last minute to avoid it being cancelled, however, this paid off and allowed him to win another gold to add to his collection.
During this year’s games so far, Mark has won a bronze in the shot put event, a silver in the 50m freestyle, a gold in breaststroke and golds in both Men’s IR1 four minute endurance and Men’s IR1 one minute sprint in indoor rowing. This is a significant achievement, and despite his retirement, he will continue in his effort to inspire people through his motivational speaking.
The Invictus Games, also known as an international adaptive multi-sport event, was created by His Royal Highness Prince Harry, which uses the ‘power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a winder understanding and respect for wounded, injured and sick serviceman and women’. In the games, 11 sporting events will take place, such as indoor rowing, swimming and many more.
In the early hours of Christmas Eve in 2007, Mark was on a tour in Afghanistan when he stepped on and triggered an Improvised Explosive Device. With help of the swift action of the emergency medical response team, he was airlifted to hospital in a desperate attempt to save his life.
Three days later, Mark woke up in the UK in the Selly Oak hospital, Birmingham, where he discovered that he had both legs amputated above the knee and his right arm amputated above the elbow. Mark was then discovered to be the first UK triple amputee to survive a Afghanistan conflict.
During his recovery, he was told that he would never be able to walk again and would have to face with being in a wheel chair for the rest of his life. In spite of this, he bounced back and used this setback as a springboard for development and growth.
The Ex- Royal Marines Commando today is an inspiration, fulfilling many roles which impact on the lives of many. Mark is an internationally acclaimed motivational speaker, where he informs the public on his moving journey and he is also the author of the award winning auto-biography ‘Man Down’. His interminable fundraising has helped to support many charities as he inspires the public on how much he has achieved since leaving his wheel chair in June, 2009.
He also is a role model to other amputees and an ambassador for the Royal Marines Association, a charity which supports the Royal Marines, their families, veterans and cadets. They provide grants which can assist you with your day to day life and provide opportunities to help transform lives. Mark is a great role model who has a significant love for life, which is clear for everyone to see in his perseverance and remarkable resilience.
The Plymouth-based Invictus Athlete was hailed as an “incredible” medal winner by Prince Harry at the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto where he won a variety of medals in different sports such as the indoor rowing event and the 50m and 100m events. At this time, he was also awarded the prestigious Jaguar Award for exceptional performance, determination and dedication.
Marks involvement in the Invictus Games from his perspective, is another piece to his recovery jigsaw. He continues to make his wife and two children Evie and Mason proud every day and is a key hero for the UK and for his hometown, Plymouth. He was recently awarded a Master of Sports Science Honorary Degree in a small ceremony at Plymouth Marjon university where he said “I feel humbled and honoured to receive this degree,”.
