From Coach to Competitor

Team Veteran at the Australian Masters Games

This October, the 20th Australian Masters Games will bring thousands of athletes of all abilities to Canberra for a week-long celebration of sport. Among them will be almost 150 veterans and family members who’ve chosen to join Team Veteran, a community that celebrates service and fosters belonging. It is powered by Invictus Australia to provide a connection point for the defence community throughout the event.

One of the people competing under the Team Veteran banner is Wing Commander Sarah Wheal, who will be stepping onto the powerlifting platform. No stranger to the Invictus community, Sarah was a familiar face for Team Australia at the Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023 and the DoD Warrior Games 2024 as the strength and conditioning coach. For Sarah, these experiences gave her an even deeper appreciation for the resilience and strength of the veteran community.

“I resonate with the mission of Invictus as I can see the power of sport in people’s lives,” she says.

Competing in her own right

Now she is excited to switch her role to competitor, inspired by her desire to be a positive role model for the defence community.

While Sarah is officially competing for her home gym, called the House of Reps, she says opting into Team Veteran during registration was an easy decision.

“I am proud of my service and proud of my links with Invictus Australia. I also want other (particularly women) veterans to see what’s possible.”

Sport inspiration from a fellow veteran
Sarah first found her way to sport in her mid-30s. Inspired by a story from a fellow veteran, she set out to improve her fitness. Starting with the gym and then CrossFit, she soon discovered her passion for powerlifting.

“After a few years of CrossFit, I was volunteering at major competitions, competing and pushing myself to see what I could achieve,” she says

From there, Sarah discovered how sport could support her social and mental wellbeing, along with her physical.

“Training for powerlifting gives me physical strength, an outlet from work, community in new posting locations, and the opportunity to travel for competitions, both in Australia and overseas.”

Today, Sarah is not only a powerlifter but also a coach and strong advocate for women in sport. After coaching at the Invictus and Warrior Games, she has carried those lessons forward into new arenas, now part of the coaching staff for a women’s rugby team, where she finds just as much fulfilment in watching others thrive as in her own success.

“I love helping women realise how strong they can be.”

Balancing coach and athlete

Having worn both hats, Sarah says competing has shaped her coaching style.

“I know what the pressure of competition feels like, and I have learned the difference between motivation and discipline. I also know the absolute joy a good competition day brings.”

That insight helps her guide competitors through their own big moment, whether they’re on the powerlifting platform or rugby field. However, Sarah believes coaching has also made her a better competitor:

“Conversely, I have learned what it’s like to work with ‘coachable’ athletes and this has helped me learn to be more coachable as a competitor.”

What Team Veteran brings to the Masters Games

Sarah will be one of many current and former serving members, and their families, joining Team Veteran during the Masters Games this October.

Powered by Invictus Australia, Team Veteran isn’t a standalone sporting team, it’s a connection point. Veterans and their families compete in their chosen sports and clubs, while also coming together under the Team Veteran banner to find community, camaraderie, and support throughout the week.

For Sarah, it’s another way to represent both her service and her belief in the power of sport. “I have always felt a connection to service so it ended up being the obvious choice,” she says. “And if my being here encourages even one more woman veteran to give it a go, then that’s a win.”