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‘I am Invictus, you are Invictus, we are Invictus,’ rung out in the Zuiderpark in The Hague where the fifth edition of the Invictus Games took place between 16 to 22 April.
Undefeated
Invictus, which stands for ‘undefeated’, gains a significant meaning during our ‘Olympic Games’ for physically and mentally wounded soldiers. Five hundred athletes from fifteen countries participated in this international event. No one other than (Prince) Harry, Duke of Sussex, is the main inspirator of the large-scale Invictus Games during which the participants battle it out for medals in ten disciplines including swimming, cycling, athletics, wheelchair rugby and archery.
The large Zuiderpark in the south of The Hague was prepared for the event in recent weeks. The Invictus Games was initially scheduled in 2020. Large pavilions and stadiums now offer the facilities for this international meeting.
“’I enjoy working with Boels. They think proactively and with flexibility to come up with the best rental solution” – Oscar Broekhuysen
Orange machinery
Besides all the communications about the Invictus Games and the amazing atmosphere, something else stands out when you walk over the grounds. The orange colour of the Boels equipment. The event in The Hague heavily relies on a large arsenal of machines, including hydraulic hoists, telescopic handlers, forklift trucks, site carriers, units, barriers (IQ pass) and fencing. Event manager Dennis Dubbelman is responsible for the Invictus Games on behalf of Boels. ‘We had the initial contact during the F1 race at Zandvoort. Those same contacts in Zandvoort are responsible for Invictus. The great partnership and mutual trust we built up in Zandvoort paid dividends in the run-up to this new project,’ explains Dubbelman.
Like clockwork
Machinery manufacturer Oscar Broekhuysen is responsible for lending out the machines within the event. He calls himself the ‘glue’ within the organisation. One thing is certain. With Oscar at the head of Boels machinery, the ‘Invictus train’ runs like clockwork. ‘I enjoy working with Boels. Why? Well, because my contact person at Boels understands what we are all trying to do here. Not only in the run-up but also during the event. For example, a forklift broke down recently. The technician got to the location within an hour and established it couldn’t be fixed. I had a new forklift at my disposal three hours later. That’s what I mean by service,’ states Oscar with great conviction as his portable radiotelephone goes off again with a request for a site carrier for the BBC. And as such, the work continues until the time the Zuiderpark is once again a green oasis of calm.