Two Jacksonville residents will join more than 200 seriously wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans at the 2026 Warrior Games in San Antonio, Texas, in June.
Hosted by the U.S. Army Transformation and Training Command, the annual adaptive-sports competition highlights the physical skills and mental toughness of wounded, ill and injured active-duty and veteran service members.
Retired Navy Chief Hospital Corpsman Cesar Borrero and retired Navy Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class Christina Rivera, both Jacksonville residents, 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.
The games will be from June 13 to June 20.
Borrero joined the Navy in 2000 because he craved the sense of purpose that comes with the military lifestyle. He saw a stable, structured career that would give him room to grow and become part of something bigger than himself.
During the eight-day competition, Borrero will compete in field, powerlifting, precision air and sitting volleyball.
It’s actually Borrero’s second time at the Warrior Games. He competed in 2025 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he won gold in powerlifting and discus throw, and is eager for a repeat in powerlifting, his new favorite sport, because it drives him to push beyond what he once thought his body could handle.
Away from the field, Borrero coaches his daughter in soccer and volleyball and works in his garage.
Rivera joined the Navy in 2019 because she wanted to provide a better life for herself and her son. During the eight-day competition, she will compete in field, powerlifting, precision air and wheelchair rugby.
Rivera’s career shifted when she began to face post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety. She began adaptive sports to push outside of her comfort zone and find a like-minded and supportive community, and she quickly developed a new love for wheelchair rugby.
Being part of a team created space for Rivera to get close to her peers again and build new relationships that she was missing. Through it all, she credits her son as her main source of inspiration to push through any challenge.
