Wheelchair racer Naomi Adie scoops string of medals at Invictus Games

After a week of inspiring performances and incredible stories from the Invictus Games, one woman from Norfolk is heading home after scooping a string of medals.

Naomi Adie, of Holme Hale, between Dereham and Swaffham, represented the UK when she flew out to Sydney, Australia, earlier this month to compete in the sporting event for wounded, injured or sick armed services personnel and veterans.

The 38-year-old is one of more than 500 competitors from 18 nations who competed in one of 11 adaptive sports, winning two bronze medals and a silver in wheelchair racing.

She is just one of hundreds of inspirational people who participated in sporting arena during the Games. But it was a true act of sportsmanship which allowed her to add another chapter to her own story.

Four people had been lined up for the 1500m race until American Brandi Evans had planned to pull out due to an injury. This would have meant only a gold and silver medal would be awarded. But Ms Evans, so inspired by Mrs Adie's story, wanted her competitor to bring home a medal for her daughter Vesta, aged nine, so decided to race. As the faster competitor, Ms Evans stopped and waited for Mrs Adie at the finishing line, letting her cross first to scoop a bronze.

A spokesperson for Help for Heroes said: 'Both were in tears at the end of race and Naomi described Brandi as an 'extra member of the Adie family'.'

As well as winning bronze in the 1500m, Mrs Adie also won bronze in the 100m and silver in the 400m relay alongside team mates Kelly Ganfield, Alexandra McClellan, and Debbie O'Connell, Debbie.

Team UK for the Invictus Games Sydney 2018 was made-up of a 72-strong team of wounded, injured and sick military personnel and veterans, with 64pc of competitors never competing at the event before.

The UK delegation this year was delivered by a partnership comprising The Ministry of Defence, Help for Heroes, and The Royal British Legion

The team competed in 11 sports: athletics; archery; wheelchair basketball; cycling; powerlifting; indoor rowing; wheelchair rugby; swimming; sitting volleyball; wheelchair tennis; and new for 2018, sailing.