Wounded warriors compete for $50K grand prize in Power Triumph Games

Ten wounded warriors tackled a series of physical challenges at the U.S. Military Academy this summer as part of the Power Triumph Games, a competition that will air beginning Monday on CBS Sports Network.

The games, in their second year, award a $50,000 first-place prize. Events for the 2016 event included activities West Point cadets must complete in order to graduate – even the long-serving Indoor Obstacle Course Test, which event organizers said was not modified for the contest.

Former Navy corpsman Redmond Ramos, who lost his left leg below the knee after stepping on an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan, won last year’s inaugural Triumph Games. That contest also featured several elite para-athletes, including Army Sgt. Elizabeth Marks, who went on to earn a gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

More star power came on the broadcast end: Patrick Murphy co-founded the games and served as an in-studio commentator in 2015, months before taking over as Army undersecretary. This year, UFC fighter and Texas Army National Guardsman Tim Kennedy will serve as one of the show’s hosts.

The 2016 crop of competitors chasing $50,000 grand prize isn’t lacking in the resume department:

•Navy veterans: All four have Warrior Games experience, with Brett Parks taking more than 10 medals in events ranging from seated volleyball to the discus throw. Isaac Francois competed in multiple events in the 2014 Invictus Games in London, while Michael Roggio, a former rescue swimmer, competed in the 100-meter freestyle at the 2016 Invictus Games in Orlando, Florida. Sadie Strong took multiple gold medals in rifle competitions during the 2014 and 2015 Warrior Games.
•Marine veterans: Lakin Booker took powerlifting gold at the Invictus Games in 2014. William Hansen, better known as “Big Sarge,” deployed during Operation Desert Storm with the Marines, then joined the California Army National Guard after the Sept. 11 attacks. He’s a certified CrossFit Level 1 instructor.
•Army veterans: After suffering severe injuries, including the loss of several fingers, when his Humvee was hit by an IED in 2009, Corwyn Collier turned his energy to bodybuilding, competing in several national events. Michael Gallardo lost his left leg to an IED blast in Iraq; he’s now an active powerlifter and triathlete.
•Air Force veterans: Adam Popp has found success as a triathlete but also in academics, selected as a 2016 Tillman Scholar, he’s pursuing a degree in rehabilitation counseling. Tyler Wells attended college on a cycling scholarship and plays for the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team when not working as a resident at a Florida medical clinic.

The events were held June 28-July 2 at West Point, about a week after the academy hosted this year’s Warrior Games athletes. Last year’s Triumph Games were held in multiple locations and featured contests that test more than physical prowess, including video games and automobile races.



The first episode of a three-show miniseries featuring the Power Triumph Games competition will air Monday at 9 p.m. Eastern on CBS Sports Network, with new shows airing in the same time slot each week. A special will air on Veterans Day at 2 p.m. Eastern on the CBS television network.