10th annual Warrior Games wraps up in Tampa

TAMPA, Fla. (FOX 13) - They ran. They swam. They cycled. They even played seated volleyball. After a week of competing in the Warrior Games, they've done it all. 

Col. Cary Harbaugh, the director of the Department of Defense Warrior Games, and the director of Care Coalition at U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), couldn't be more proud.

"It's been absolutely amazing," Col. Harbaugh said. "Everything we hoped to get out of the Tampa Bay community has materialized."

Over 300 wounded service members and veterans competed in many different sports for the 10th annual Warrior Games that took them all around Tampa.

"It's exactly what we wanted to do with the games," Col. Harbaugh said. "We wanted the wounded warriors and their families to enjoy the community. And we knew when we brought it to Tampa Bay we had that. It was clear for us as US SOCOM folks, we live here this is our home, what we were doing when we brought them here."

With the exception of the games in Chicago in 2017, the Warrior Games in the past have been on military bases across the United States, which hasn't been favorable for guests.

"There's a natural barrier that [the public] doesn't want to cross, or they're uncomfortable crossing, so it'd been difficult to get folks out," Col. Harbaugh said.

On hand to wrap up the week-long event was host Jon Stewart, a major player in the games for the last four years. 

"He loves these wounded warriors, it's genuine, it's in his heart," Col. Harbaugh said. "You can see and feel it in the way he presents. I think he's going to continue to stay involved, because of how much it means to him personally."

And it's not just America's wounded warriors who are competing. Athletes representing the military from Denmark, Canada, the United Kingdom and other Allied nations have been here all week as well.

"It's amazing to see what the U.S. does for their military and for their allied forces as well. It's been totally mind blowing," said Sgt. Jesper Lundberg, a Danish athlete.

Col Harbaugh has been to six Warrior Games, and he says he's never seen anything quite like Tampa.

"Across the board, the venues were stunning, the participation of the public was amazing," he said. "It was just a great week. 

Next year's Warrior Games will be held in San Antonio, Texas.