Ugandan Hanifah Mutesi competes for Team Navy in the 2026 U.S. warrior games

A native of Mbale district, Uganda, will join more than 200 seriously wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans at the Warrior Games, June 13 – 20, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas.

Retired Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Hanifah Mutesi will be competing against athletes representing the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Space Force and U.S. Special Operations Command.

During the eight-day competition, Mutesi will compete in archery, field, indoor rowing and precision air.

Hosted by the U.S. Army Transformation and Training Command (T2COM), this annual premiere and elite adaptive-sports competition highlights the exceptional physical skills and mental toughness of seriously wounded, ill and injured active-duty and veteran service members.

Now in its 16th year, the Warrior Games celebrates the valor, recovery and resilience of wounded, ill and injured service members and qualifying veterans along with their families, using the power of the games to drive healing, empowerment and renewed purpose.

Mutesi joined the Navy in 2021 because as an immigrant from Uganda, she wanted to give back to the country that gave her so much. She saw opportunities to learn valuable skills, travel the world, create a positive impact and build a stable future.

Still early in her career, Mutesi suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), with migraines, major depression and anxiety. She began participating in adaptive sports, and she found a supportive community of other service members who understood her experiences.

Her newfound love of archery helped her sharpen her mind and relearn focus and patience.

It felt meditative, and the incremental improvements mirrored her own healing journey, giving her confidence to know that she is not defined by her limitations.

This year, the Navy is commemorating its contribution to the nation’s defense as the United States celebrates 250 years of independence.

According to Navy officials, for more than 250 years, the Navy has sailed the globe defending freedom and protecting prosperity.