Disney Welcomes DOD Warrior Games Today at Magic Kingdom

The 2022 Department of Defense Warrior Games kicks off this weekend at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort. Nearly 300 athletes from across the globe representing the U.S. military and ally nations will arrive in Central Florida for the annual event, Aug. 19-28.

Today, Disney World welcomed the DOD Warrior Games in a small parade before the Festival of Fantasy parade.

The Warrior Games, first held in 2010, celebrates the resiliency and dedication of wounded, ill and injured active-duty and veteran U.S. military service members as they compete in adaptive sporting events such as wheelchair basketball, cycling, indoor rowing, wheelchair rugby, sitting volleyball and others.

COVERAGE OPPORTUNITIES:

• August 19 – Opening Ceremony at The Stadium at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, hosted by comedian Jon Stewart and featuring a performance by singer and songwriter Darius Rucker. (NOTE: Space is limited. Media wishing to cover Opening Ceremony must RSVP to Travis Claytor,TravisClaytorAPR@Gmail.com, or Madison Bonzo, madison.t.bonzo.civ@army.mil, by 8 p.m. on Thursday, August 18)

• August 20-28 – Nine days of Paralympic-style adaptive sports competition at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and the surrounding community.

  • Local central Florida veterans and service members will be among the athletes and coaches competing including:

• • Air Force Staff Sgt. Kevin Greene (Orlando, Fla.)

  • Navy MN1 (Ret.) Mark Coltrain (Edgewater, Fla.)

  • USMC Sgt. (Ret.) Andrew Blackburn (Palm Bay, Fla.)

• • Athletes use adaptive sports to enhance recovery from physical and mental injuries.

  • Teams from the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Special Operations Command and international ally nations will compete.

• • August 28 – Closing Ceremony at The Stadium at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, hosted by Jon Stewart and featuring a performance by rock band American Authors. (NOTE: Space is limited. Media wishing to cover Closing Ceremony must RSVP to Travis Claytor, TravisClaytorAPR@Gmail.com, Or Madison Bonzo, madison.t.bonzo.civ@army.mil, by 8 p.m. on Saturday, August 27)

EVENT LOCATIONS:

• ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex:

• Wheelchair rugby – August 20-22

• Cycling – August 22

• Indoor rowing – August 23

• Powerlifting – August 23

• Wheelchair basketball – August 23-25

• Track and field – August 24-25

• Sitting volleyball – August 26-28

• Archery – August 27

• Orange County Convention Center, Hall WD1

• Shooting – August 20-21

• Rosen Aquatic Center

• Swimming – August 26

• Disney’s Palm Golf Course

• Golf Exhibition – August 24

• A map of venue locations and event times can be found at www.DoDWarriorGames.com/games/schedule

For more about the Warrior Games and to view the official Warrior Games livestream throughout the event, go to DoDWarriorGames.com.

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, donated for use and serving as a Warrior Games venue for the first time, is a 220-acre facility that features multiple indoor and outdoor competition sites. ESPN Wide World of Sports previously hosted multiple Olympic and Paralympic-style events, including the 2016 Invictus Games and the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games.

Family Program

Led by Fisher House Foundation, the Warrior Games Family Program has proudly supported our athletes and their families since 2012. Fisher House Foundation believes a family’s love is good medicine. Keeping military families together during a medical crisis and through recovery helps the whole family heal.

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