Network Magazine Spring 2018 | Page 50

up from being injured’ Winspear recalled; ‘I was heavily sedated for five to six days – I was in and out, and my mind was playing tricks. I remember finding numerous IEDs before the one I hit. I remember how hot it was and the smell. When I was hit, I remember lying in the thick long grass trying to shout out, but nothing came out of my mouth; I thought that was it for me. Winspear heard about a new competition that Prince Harry was hosting in London in 2014 called the Invictus Games, and thought he would give it a try. Despite never having played basketball prior to his injury, he made the wheelchair basketball reserve team in 2014. The atmosphere of that first event, and the determination of the competitors, inspired him to push himself even harder and in 2016 he made the wheelchair basketball team, with whom he won silver at the Orlando Games. Prior to discovering the Games, Winspear was in a rut, spending most of