Invictus Games star Sgt. Elizabeth Marks to receive Tillman Award at ESPYs

A sergeant who earned four gold medals swimming at this year's Invictus Games will add to her hardware collection July 13 when she receives the Pat Tillman Award for Service during the annual ESPY awards.

Sgt. Elizabeth Marks, a member of the Army's World Class Athlete Program, will be the third recipient of the honor, which goes to "an individual with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of Tillman," according to an ESPN news release.

Tillman, a former Arizona Cardinals defensive back-turned-Army Ranger, died in Afghanistan in 2004. The Pat Tillman Foundation, a co-sponsor of Marks' honor, awards scholarships to service members and their spouses in Tillman's memory.
Marks began swimming in 2012 as part of her recovery from hip injuries suffered in 2010 during a deployment to Iraq as a combat medic. She rapidly rose to elite status in the pool, qualifying for the 2014 Invictus Games in London, but fell gravely ill en route to the competition.

London doctors put her on life support for about two weeks. She would suffer a decreased lung capacity and other effects from the ordeal, including problems seeing while swimming.

Despite these concerns, Marks worked her way back into international competition, taking gold at the 2016 Invictus Games in Orlando, Florida, in the 50-meter freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke as well as the 100-meter freestyle. She received worldwide attention for asking Prince Harry, creator of the Invictus Games, to return one of the medals to hospital workers in London who saved her life in 2014. He did so recently.
Marks will attempt to qualify for her first Paralympic Games this weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina. She's set to compete in four events, per the event's entry sheet: The 100-meter butterfly, breaststroke and backstroke, as well as the 200-meter individual medley (50 meters each of those strokes, plus freestyle). She was named to the U.S. Paralympics Swimming National “A” Team in January, but must earn her spot for in the Rio de Janeiro games, set to begin Sept. 7.

Marks "is an athlete of remarkable courage and perseverance who has made extraordinary sacrifices in her own life to help others and serve our country," said ESPN's Connor Schell, head of the network's films and original entertainment division, in the release. "She represents the best of our country and we are proud to present her with this award."

The ESPYs will air live on ABC at 8 p.m. Eastern, hosted by the WWE's John Cena.