Medal win for Sheffield hospital 'warrior'

A Sheffield Teaching Hospitals ‘warrior’ has brought home a silver medal after competing in the Warrior Games in Florida.
Caroline Buckle, a Medical HR advisor at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has brought home a silver medal after competing in the Warrior Games in Tampa, Florida Caroline Buckle, a Medical HR advisor at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has brought home a silver medal after competing in the Warrior Games in Tampa, Florida
Caroline Buckle, a Medical HR advisor at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has brought home a silver medal after competing in the Warrior Games in Tampa, Florida

Caroline Buckle, a Medical HR advisor at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, scooped the medal after taking part in the prestigious event in Tampa.

Caroline competed in an impressive sequence of events including seated shotput, para-powerlifting, cycling, swimming and seated discuss, in which she won the silver medal.

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The Department of Defense Warrior Games were created in 2010 and designed to introduce wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans to Paralympic-style sports.

JP Cooper at the Big Gig at Sheffield Arena to mark the start of the Invictus UK Trials.Picture Scott MerryleesJP Cooper at the Big Gig at Sheffield Arena to mark the start of the Invictus UK Trials.Picture Scott Merrylees
JP Cooper at the Big Gig at Sheffield Arena to mark the start of the Invictus UK Trials.Picture Scott Merrylees

Caroline is a veteran and served in the Army providing support to staff and personnel in Germany, Cyprus and Kenya and on a number of operational tours including in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Following an incident in 2009, Caroline was left with life-changing injuries to her left leg and also suffers from anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Caroline said: “The Warrior Games gives a chance for amazing individuals to overcome huge barriers in their lives and compete together to feel part of a team again.

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“For me it is that I am showing the world that I am not defined by my illness or injury, I am a force to be reckoned with and I will keep pushing hard and reaching for the stars.”

The competitors and performers at the Big Gig at Sheffield Arena to mark the start of the Invictus UK Trials.Picture Scott MerryleesThe competitors and performers at the Big Gig at Sheffield Arena to mark the start of the Invictus UK Trials.Picture Scott Merrylees
The competitors and performers at the Big Gig at Sheffield Arena to mark the start of the Invictus UK Trials.Picture Scott Merrylees

“Warrior Games was the start of a new chapter in my life, the one where I am finally feeling the buzz of living life, that is the biggest medal I won.

“I cannot thank the Medical HR department enough for supporting me and granting me the time off to go away and compete.”

Caroline also competed in the national Invictus UK Team Trials.

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For the first time in history, the trials were hosted in Caroline’s hometown of Sheffield last week and act as qualifying trials for next year's Invictus Games in the Netherlands.

Caroline was one of around 475 athletes taking part and competing in the para-powerlifting event at the English Institute of Sport.

Over five days competitors took part in up to nine sports – archery, athletics, cycling, indoor rowing, powerlifting, sitting volleyball, swimming, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby.

The Invictus Games is an international adaptive multi-sport event, created by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.

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Sheffield Teaching Hospitals is one of the UK’s largest NHS Foundation Trusts and one of the largest and busiest teaching hospitals. The Trust has over 17,000 staff caring for over two million patients each year at five hospitals and in the local community.

To find out about the Trust visit www.sth.nhs.uk