Two veterans, one British and one Ukrainian, are joining forces for an endurance challenge in Kenya to raise mental health awareness. Former British Army staff sergeant Jonny Ball and Ukrainian veteran Vasyl are among a 25-strong group of veterans and serving personnel from 10 nations taking part through the Invictus Games Foundation’s recovery programme.
Challenge in the Great Rift Valley
Jonny, 47, a married father of two from near Loughborough in the Midlands, served in the British Army for over 20 years, including in Afghanistan and Northern Ireland. He is due to complete a marathon in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley. The challenge, which marks World Mental Health Day on Saturday, offers participants a 10km, 21km or 42km run or hike, or a 120km mountain-bike ride through Shompole Conservancy.
Jonny, who suffered a motorcycle accident in 2019 that left him with life-changing injuries, said: “It’s not about a time, it’s about sharing an achievement with other people. Everyone’s got their own reasons and for me it’s to prove that you can do stuff that you’re told you can’t do.” He is set to be fuelled by jelly beans during the event.
Bond Between Brothers
Jonny has bonded with Vasyl, 34, who was among the first Ukrainian soldiers trained in the UK. The pair have been for a run together. Jonny explained: “We’ve just shared stories. He’s got great English but these experiences transcend any language barriers.” He added that he has particularly bonded with the Canadians, Danes and Estonians in the group, and described Vasyl as “an absolutely wonderful, wonderful guy.”
Asked what it means to do the challenge with someone who has fought in Ukraine, Jonny said: “It’s a privilege. But he also recounted to me how grateful he was for the training he’s received from the British.” Jonny added: “We’re just brothers. I said that we’re closer, even though we’ve just met, than, perhaps, some friends I went to school with. Because we’ve had shared experiences, both from our injuries, and also from conflicts and combat.”
Overcoming Trauma Through Sport
Jonny, who went through rehabilitation while living with PTSD and depression, was medically discharged in 2024. He recalled: “Ironically, having survived Helmand province [in Afghanistan], at home I was going about my day on my motorcycle when my life changed in an instant. I found myself trapped in my cherished Harley Davidson motorcycle with my arm caught in my rear wheel. And what had resulted was actually the impact on my foot meant I’d suffered what’s known as a de-glove injury. So I’d lost all of the tissue in my left ankle and after seven surgeries over a period of four years, they saved my leg.”
Jonny, who co-founded the Afghanistan Veterans Community, is also an ambassador for next year’s Invictus Games in Birmingham. He won bronze in powerlifting at the Invictus Games Düsseldorf in 2023. Meanwhile, Vasyl trained as a geography teacher before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He lives with PTSD and suffered shrapnel wounds after a drone dropped a grenade just metres from him. The father of one, who has been discharged, said: “For me, the pain of loss is the hardest thing the war has left behind.”
Vasyl added: “After I was introduced to Invictus in Ukraine, I began going to the gym almost constantly. I realised that sport, together with discipline, could help me recover and improve.” The trip is his first visit to Africa, where he is taking on a half marathon. He explained: “Above all, I want to set an example to other veterans. I want them to see different ways to grow and the opportunities available to them, rather than remaining in the despair that war has brought.”
Rob Owen, Chief Executive of the Invictus Games Foundation, said: “This week is about much more than taking on an endurance challenge. It is about bringing together people from different countries, conflicts and experiences who understand how injury, illness and mental health challenges can affect people’s lives.”
Looking ahead, Jonny – who has met Prince Harry – said his focus is on his family. “My hopes and dreams for the future is to be a good dad, a good husband and a positive person in society,” he said. “Because we don’t want people to feel sorry for us. We want people to understand us. So it’s not sympathy we’re after, it’s empathy.”
