When the Invictus Games take place in Vancouver next year, Townsville local Torben Louwen-Skovdam will be flying the flag for the Garrison City.
The 16-year Army veteran and Townsville father-of-four has been selected to represent Australia at the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver, Canada where he will compete in Nordic biathlon, indoor rowing, swimming and wheelchair basketball.
Mr Louwen-Skovdam has been developing his skillset for his chosen events at James Cook University’s (JCU) Veterans Physical Activity and Sports Performance Program but the preparations have not been easy.
JCU Veterans Physical Activity and Sports Performance Program coordinator and Exercise Physiology Lecturer Brian Heilbronn said sport specific training has been challenging, given Nordic Biathlon is a winter sport involving skiing, which contrasts greatly with Townsville’s weather conditions.
“It’s hard to do sport-specific training, particularly winter sports in Townsville you can’t really train for that,” Mr Heilbronn said.
“The only way to train for a sport is to do the sport so we come up with a program that addresses the physical needs and the demands for that sport. So we get him physically ready and then hopefully his mental fortitude will get him through the rest of it.”
JCU’s Veterans Physical Activity and Sports Performance Program offers general health and performance testing, individualised training programs, one-on-one training sessions, and access to state-of-the-art training facilities at the University’s Performance Science Hub in Townsville.
Mr Heilbronn said the program is a gateway for veterans that have left the Defence Force to reengage with exercise or sports, if they’ve dropped off since discharging, or to prepare for competitions like Invictus.
“They’re coming in and we’re giving them the guidance around that to get them back to a physical state to be more productive in their day-to-day life,” he said.
The idea of nominating for Invictus was suggested by a friend of Mr Louwen-Skovdam, who thought the 39-year-old athlete would be well-suited to the competition aimed at helping wounded injured and sick service personnel and veterans reconnect with their families and communities.
Mr Louwen-Skovdam said he never expected he would be selected to represent Australia at Invictus.
“I put my hand up, (decided to) commit to it, go to the selection camp – that in itself was a huge step for me, and I thought if that’s it, if that’s all I get out of this is just putting myself in that environment stepping out there and putting my hand up then that’s probably enough for me,” he said.
“Anything beyond that is just going to be amazing. After being notified I was pretty pumped.
“I am most excited about just being there on the competition stage and looking up into the stands and seeing my family there supporting me; that’ll be pretty special.”
What:
Invictus means Unconquered.
The 6th Invictus Games in Vancouver and Whistler, Canada in February 2025.
The Invictus Games provide sport recovery opportunities and an adventurous challenge. The aim is to support long term improvements in physical and mental health, inspire change and motivate wider society, and help wounded injured and sick service personnel and veterans reconnect with their families and communities.
Sport:
The Biathlon merges the endurance of Nordic skiing with the precision of target shooting, making it one of the most mentally and physically demanding events at the Invictus Games 2025. Competitors will switch between the vigorous demands of cross-country skiing and the calm, controlled accuracy required for shooting, balancing speed and focus.
Indoor rowing competitors will race against the clock on rowing machines (ergometers), relying on their upper body power and mental fortitude to maintain speed over a set distance. This adaptive sport pushes participants to their physical limits, stroke by stroke, showcasing their resilience and determination as they compete to achieve personal bests.
Who:
39-year-old Torben Louwen-Skovdam served primarily as a Logistic and Operational Planner in a diverse and rewarding career that took him to South Sudan and the Solomon Islands. He was medically discharged from Defence in July this year. He will be competing in the Nordic biathlon, indoor rowing, swimming, and wheelchair basketball at the Invictus Games.
Mr Louwen-Skovdam’s success follows that of fellow program participant, amputee and former Army truck driver Ainsley Hooker, who represented Australia at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf in 2023.
