Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 medals celebrate the unconquered Invictus Spirit through the healing power of sport Français

Editor's note: Supporting assets can be downloaded HERE including a suite of images and reveal video. For details on the media photo opp and one-on-one interviews today at 10:30-11:00AM PT, please contact the Communications team (contact details end of this release).

VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 29, 2025 /CNW/ - With just ten days to go until the Opening Ceremony of the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025, presented by ATCO and Boeing, the Games medals celebrate achievement, resilience, determination and the unconquered Invictus Spirit through the healing power of sport. The medals, supported by Teck, will be awarded throughout the nine days of life-changing sport events to wounded, injured and sick service members and Veterans from 23 Nations.

The medals draw upon the unique elements of the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025's signature visual identity, designed by four artists of the Four Host First Nations: Levi Nelson (Lil'wat Nation), Mack Paul (Musqueam Nation), Ray Natraoro (Squamish Nation), and Olivia George (Tsleil-Waututh Nation). Contemporary Indigenous artist and designer of the medals Levi Nelson (Lil'wat Nation) said "I'm hoping the legacy of these Winter Games will be that people remember the beauty of not just what it means to come together and to heal, but the beauty of this place that we live in because it's truly magical. I think little bits of that can be seen in the medals. We are all connected through the heartbeat as one people in this universe. There's a reason we're all here at this exact moment and it's so much bigger than us."

"Our Invictus Games are a celebration of the human spirit, and we thank all Four Host First Nations artists for bringing this to life. This year's medals represent unity, courage, and victory. We come together as a global community to honour the extraordinary strength, resilience, and brilliance of our competitors and their families for all they have overcome and where they are today. For many, victory is simply reaching the start line, and I, for one, am immensely proud of every single one of them," said Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, Founding Patron of the Invictus Games Foundation.

These striking medals – 462 Gold, Silver and Bronze in total – will be presented at 167 Ceremonies throughout the Games to celebrate each competitor's achievements in front of their family, friends, fellow competitors and supporters.

"Today marks a moment of immense pride and honour, as we reveal the Games medals. More than symbols of achievement, they represent resilience, courage, and the unbreakable spirit of all of our competitors. Every medalist will have a story of triumph, proving that strength lies both in the victory, and the healing journey itself," said Scott Moore, CEO of the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025.

"We are proud to support the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 Medals Program to celebrate and honour the inspiring competitors who demonstrate extraordinary strength and resilience," said Jonathan Price, President and CEO of Teck. "These Games embody the shared values of Teck – fostering inclusivity, building community, and striving for excellence. Congratulations to all the remarkable competitors."

"Winning medals at the Invictus Games, no matter the colour, wasn't just about being the best — it was a symbol of one's determination, strength, and the power of never giving up. Each event I competed in represented a step forward in my recovery journey as I rediscovered the joy of sport and my resilience to take on each challenge by doing my best," said Patrick Lèvis, member of Team Canada at the Invictus Games The Hague 2020 winning six medals: Wheelchair Racing (Gold in 1500, 400, 200, 100) and Indoor Rowing (Silver in 4 minute endurance, Bronze in 1 minute sprint).

Medals

The medal design brings together several Coast Salish symbols, including a war paddle, half of the ancestral eye (the eye of the Creator), the triangle and wave of the mountain and valley often seen on traditional blankets, coming together to represent earth, air, sky and water. The outer edge of the medal design emulates braided cedar rope, representing unity, continuity and strength. Elements from the visual identity, have also been woven into a jacquard pattern on the medal ribbon, in the signature yellow brand colour.

Medal 'Quarter Bags'

Each medal comes with a one-of-a-kind hand-knit or crocheted wool carrying bag, made by fibre artists from all of the Four Host First Nation communities. Each is unique, the design being born from the artist's Nation and interpretation of the Invictus Games' signature black and yellow color palette. In the Musqueam tradition, quarter bags are pinned to individuals who assist with special occasions and ceremonial events, to hold coins and smalls gifts to say thank you and recognize their contribution.

Medal Presentation Boxes

In British Columbia, First Nations Peoples used unique, and beautifully adorned traditional containers to store their most precious possessions, becoming known as 'Bentwood Boxes'. The medals will be carried out in and presented from Salish Bentwood Boxes, handmade by students from TTC & Spirit Works LTD in partnership with the Squamish Nation Nexw7áýstwaý Training & Trades Centre in North Vancouver.

Each box is 100% made locally by First Nations Peoples, using traditional materials and methods passed down by Acknowledged Indigenous cultural keepers. Unique in their construction, each box's body is made from a single piece of West Coast cedar. Four pieces of inlaid Abalone shell adorn the outer edge of the lid, representing the Four Host First Nations. Each box has taken over 30 hours to create, providing the students with valuable joinery skills while also immersing them in traditional cultural practices.

Medal Presentation Ceremonies

Medals will be presented by honoured guests, including dignitaries from the 23 Nations, the Invictus Games Foundation, and partner representatives. Volunteers from the Canadian Armed Forces and Four Host Nations will also support the Medal Ceremonies. Medals are presented at each sport event on a flat podium to the playing of the Invictus Games Medal Ceremony anthem. Medalists typically wear their colourful team uniform, and many choose to also carry or display their Nation's flag for this emotional celebratory occasion.

Limited tickets are still available for some sport events as well as the Opening and Closing Ceremonies: invictusgames2025.ca.

INVICTUS GAMES VANCOUVER WHISTLER 2025 MEDALS PROGRAM: KEY FACTS

Medals:

• 462 medals will be presented at 167 Ceremonies throughout the nine days of life-changing sport events.
• Each Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 medal weighs 250g, measures 100mm in diameter and is 8mm in thickness.
• Levi Nelson of the Lil'wat Nation led the medal design, and is one of the four artists who created the Games' striking visual identity, with Mack Paul (Musqueam Nation), Ray Natraoro (Squamish Nation), and Olivia George (Tsleil-Waututh Nation).
• The medal design brings together several Coast Salish symbols, including a war paddle, half of the ancestral eye (the eye of the Creator), the triangle and wave of the mountain and valley often seen on traditional blankets, coming together to represent earth, air, sky and water.
• The outer edge of the medal design emulates braided cedar rope, representing unity, continuity and strength.
• Elements from the visual identity have also been woven into a jacquard pattern on the signature yellow medal ribbon.
• The medals are zinc, plated in a Gold, Silver or Bronze finish.

Presentation 'Bentwood Boxes':

• In British Columbia, First Nations Peoples often store their most precious possessions in unique and beautifully adorned containers, commonly known as 'Bentwood Boxes'.
• To honour this First Nations' tradition, the medals will be carried out and presented from a Bentwood Box during the Games' Medal Ceremonies.
• The box's body is constructed with a single piece of West Coast cedar, using traditional materials and methods passed down by Acknowledged Indigenous cultural keepers. Its distinct cedar fragrance comes from the intentionally raw wood inside.
• For Coast Salish People, cedar is one of the sacred plants and often referred to as 'The Tree of Life', and is a potent symbol of protection, healing and cultural continuity.
• Four pieces of inlaid Abalone shell adorn the lid's outer edge, representing the Four Host First Nations.
• The Bentwood Boxes were created in partnership with Squamish Nation Nexw7áýstwaý Training & Trades Centre and their students and Spirit Works Limited in North Vancouver.
• Each box took approximately 30 hours to create, totalling 1500 hours for the collection of fifty boxes, giving the students valuable joinery skills and immersing them in traditional cultural practices.

Presentation 'Quarter Bags':

• In the Musqueam tradition, quarter bags are pinned to individuals who assist with special occasions and ceremonial events, to hold coins and smalls gifts to say thank you and recognize their contribution.
• Six artists from the Four Host First Nations hand-knitted the medal bags: Lucy Wallace (Lil'Wat), Melissa Henry (Squamish), Marie Joseph (Squamish), Alice Stogan (Musqueam), Josephine Grant (Musqueam) and Doreen Parnell (Tseil-Waututh).
• 462 medal bags have been made for the Medals Program.
• The bags are 100% wool and were either knitted or crocheted depending on the artists' skill and preference.
• Each bag is unique to the artist and to the Nation, with the only criteria to use the signature black and yellow colours.
• A small cedar paddle with inlaid abalone is attached to each quarter bag as an amulet.

About the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025   

The Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025, presented by ATCO and Boeing, is an international sporting competition for wounded, injured, and sick service members and Veterans. From February 8-16, 2025, the seventh Invictus Games will bring together up to 550 from 23 nations in 11 adaptive sports in the natural beauty of British Columbia, Canada. Invictus means unconquered and the Games celebrate courage, resiliency, and the strength of the human spirit. Through the power of sport, the Games will inspire recovery, support rehabilitation, and generate a wider understanding and respect for those who have served their country. 

The Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 will be held on the traditional territories of the Lil̓wat7úl (Líl̓wat), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. True Patriot Love Foundation, the Government of Canada, and the Province of British Columbia are the valued Founding Partners of the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025. 

Visit invictusgames2025.ca/media-hub/ for our latest news, supporting materials and full Games details.       

SOURCE Vancouver Whistler Games Corporation

For more information, please contact: Olivia Frankel, [email protected]; Lauren Pavan, [email protected]