Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined a friendly trash-talk Monday with his own Invictus Games viral video designed to promote the adaptive games.
About 30 Canadian athletes are expected to participate in the second edition of the games for wounded and disabled service veterans, which are taking place in Orlando, Florida next week.
“Oh, hey. I just thought I’d show our friends in the U.S. and the U.K. how Canada brings it,” Trudeau said, before getting down on the ground and doing a single pushup.
Then, balancing in a one-arm pushup stand, he dropped an imaginary microphone, ending the 23-second video with a “Boom.”
Dear @POTUS, @FLOTUS and @KensingtonRoyal – did someone say “bring it?” Canada’s ready for @InvictusOrlando.https://t.co/TxBAMPvTYs
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) May 2, 2016
The friendly trash-talk started when U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama recorded their own video challenging Prince Harry to “bring it” to the Orlando event.
Hey, @KensingtonRoyal! Are you ready for @InvictusOrlando? Game on. pic.twitter.com/S34KrEv5Is — The First Lady (@FLOTUS) April 29, 2016
Prince Harry responded with his own video featuring Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Unfortunately for you @FLOTUS and @POTUS I wasn’t alone when you sent me that video ? – H.https://t.co/sjfSQvkzb6
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) April 29, 2016
Launching 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto
Prince Harry was in Toronto Monday to launch the 2017 Invictus Games. About 600 competitors from 16 nations are expected to participate in the third edition of the games in Toronto next September.
Prince Harry joined Trudeau and Toronto Mayor John Tory for an exhibition sledge hockey game at Ryerson University’s Mattamy Athletic Centre.
The sport will be part of the Invictus Games for the first time next year.
“It was a very easy decision once we handed the Games over to Canada,” Prince Harry said.
“This is Canada, everything happens on ice, doesn’t it?” he joked before taking part in a ceremonial puck drop.
Born out of Afghan experience
Earlier in the day, during a meeting with injured veterans at Toronto’s Royal York Hotel, Prince Harry described how he was inspired to get involved in the Invictus Games in 2008 on a flight from Afghanistan that he shared with three badly injured British soldiers.
At the time, Prince Harry was being sent home himself after the media had learned of his presence in Afghanistan as a British army officer operating out of a forward operating base in the restive Helmand province. Prince Harry had been working as a forward air controller (FAC) and was responsible for coordinating air support and calling in air strikes on Taliban positions in the area.
The news leak endangered the lives of his fellow officers, forcing him to cut short his first tour of duty in Afghanistan.
He would return to Afghanistan four years later as a helicopter pilot. Later, he saw wounded athletes competing at an event for wounded U.S. soldiers in Colorado. There, he saw the healing power of the competition, the prince said.
“Seeing so many men and women competing against each other with huge beaming smiles made me realize how powerful this concept was,” said Prince Harry. “Sport is what made the difference. Sport could help these guys fix their lives and those around them.”
With files from CBC News
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