Private Jaco Van Gass

Harry's Heroes:  Meet the wounded ex-soldiers battling for glory in the Prince's games.

It's been dubbed the Paralympics for the Armed Forces - and here are some of the heroes battling to compete in the Invictus Games.

The London-based competition is the brainchild of Prince Harry, 29, inspired by the Warrior Games in the US.

Next month teams of injured servicemen and women from 13 countries will compete against each other in disciplines including cycling, wheelchair rugby and sitting volleyball.

With tickets already selling fast, the Invictus Games look set to be a massive hit with the public, a way to show gratitude to the brave Forces heroes who put their bodies on the line in Afghanistan.

Ahead of the British team selection next week, we met four injured serviceman who are all hoping to be chosen for the cycling team and heard their stories of courage.

You can buy tickets for the Invictus Games at invictusgames.org and to support Help For Heroes funding our heroic men and women on their sporting journeys, please text SPORT 70900 to donate £5 to Help for Heroes

Jaco Van Gass

Jaco has a close relationship to the Invictus Games as he is good pals with Prince Harry.

He says: "I am very fortunate to know Prince Harry very well. We did the Walking With The Wounded expedition in 2011 so spent quite a bit of time together in the North Pole, and since then we've been good friends.

"He's really easy to be around and is a genuinely good guy.

"He's been involved in almost every aspect from the beginning and will be at the Games every day."

South Africa-born Jaco was a member of the Parachute Regiment and on his second tour of Afghanistan in 2009 when he was injured.

His unit was attacked by the Taliban on the way back from an operation.

After an intense 40-minute firefight, Jaco was hit by an rocket propelled grenade.

He explains: "I saw this red glow heading towards me. A split second later the rocket exploded right next to me and severed my arm."

After 11 operations and intense rehab, Jaco, 27, has gone on to complete several marathons, the North Pole trek and climbed Mount Manaslu in Nepal.

And he found that cycling helped his recovery.

He explains: "It's something I enjoy, it's something where you can really push yourself, it's being outdoors.

"It significantly helps my recovery as well because I sustained injuries on my left leg and down my left side.

"Hopefully the Invictus Games can be a stepping stone for a lot of guys to get to the Paralympics or even just to have an activity, something to make them get out of the wheelchair."

Don MacLean

Don was injured in 2011 when an IED partially detonated, shattering his right heel and foot.

He says: "I didn't lose a limb so I guess I was lucky and unlucky at the same time.

"I'm able to walk OK but I can't run. So cycling became a natural option.

"I don't think I'd be where I am today in terms of recovery if it hadn't been for cycling."

The 36-year-old Glaswegian, who is now living in Liverpool, got involved with cycling while recuperating from his injuries.

Don says: "It's been really inspirational to spend time with all these other guys who have been injured - that's the silver lining.

"I turn up and they're like: 'Have you sprained your ankle?' There's lots of camaraderie."

Don believes that the Invictus Games are also important in making sure people don't forget about our wounded heroes.

He explains: "It helps keep in the forefront of people's minds that we have to live the rest of our lives with our injuries."

Don MacLean

Don was injured in 2011 when an IED partially detonated, shattering his right heel and foot.

He says: "I didn't lose a limb so I guess I was lucky and unlucky at the same time.

"I'm able to walk OK but I can't run. So cycling became a natural option.

"I don't think I'd be where I am today in terms of recovery if it hadn't been for cycling."

The 36-year-old Glaswegian, who is now living in Liverpool, got involved with cycling while recuperating from his injuries.

Don says: "It's been really inspirational to spend time with all these other guys who have been injured - that's the silver lining.

"I turn up and they're like: 'Have you sprained your ankle?' There's lots of camaraderie."

Don believes that the Invictus Games are also important in making sure people don't forget about our wounded heroes.

He explains: "It helps keep in the forefront of people's minds that we have to live the rest of our lives with our injuries."

Clive "Smudge" Smith

Clive has only been riding for a few months so getting selected for the cycling team would mean a huge amount to him.

The 28-year-old from Wolverhampton says: "I wanted to maintain some physical fitness but also wanted something to keep my mind going as well.

"Plus, it gives you that competitive edge which people miss when they leave the military. I hate to lose."

The former Sapper was part of the Royal Engineer Search Team when he stepped on an IED in Helmand in 2010.

"I ended up losing both my legs above the knees," he says. "It's been a long road since then.

"There's been good days and bad days but 90% of the bad days are behind me. "Cycling has helped me mentally as something to aim for.

"The only obstacle you've got is the one in your mind. As soon as you overcome that obstacle, you can conquer anything."

Clive is hoping the Invictus Games will also highlight the important work done by Help For Heroes.

He says: "The public has been fantastic. I'll go out shopping in town and people will come up, shake my hand and say thank you. I don't think that would have been the case without HFH.

Daniel 'Baz' Whittingham

Eagle-eyed readers might remember Daniel from the Dakar Rally Race2Recovery challenge we covered in January.

The Invictus Games were his next big challenge - and then a new addition to the family came along.

"I started my training doing two-hour rides most days," he says.

"But then my girlfriend Joanna and I had our baby girl Aiya in June so it's been a bit full on since then."

Daniel, was a corporal working on a bomb disposal team in 2009 when he drove over an IED.

He explains: "I broke most of my lower body and everything was pretty much smashed, like a bag of bones being crushed.

"I didn't lose any limbs but I kept getting infections. I had a couple of options - to have many more surgeries or to have my leg amputated. It wasn't a big choice for me."

Daniel, from Nottingham, has met Prince Harry and reckons he is the perfect figurehead for the Games as he really gets what it's all about.

"He's such a down-to-earth bloke and really knows his stuff," says Daniel.

"It's great that someone so high up in the Royal Family really does care about the event."

Daniel, 28, hopes the Games will show other people with injuries that there is still plenty they are capable of doing.

He says: "You can inspire people, even if they only see it on TV and think: 'There's a bloke with one leg doing that cycling - I could do it too.'"