24 Candidates – One Title: The World Games Athlete of the Year
The race is on: the International World Games Association (IWGA) has now launched its online vote for the athlete or the team of the year 2021. Until 31st January supporters and friends of The World Games can cast votes for the top athlete / the top team. Voting is available online on the IWGA website.
The first round of the voting will close on 23rd January and will determine the ten finalists. The final round lasts until 31st January 2022. The winners (first place, runner-up, second runner-up) will receive trophies and prizes from the official sponsor of The World Games Athlete of the Year, Protective Life.
Voting will also be promoted on The World Games Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts. This means that supporters of a candidate will be able to share their enthusiasm and encourage other fans to support an athlete or team.
24 candidates, one per sport, have been shortlisted by those international federations with sports participating at The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, USA. The World Games fans can choose their favourite with a click, or actually with two clicks, for the rules are as follows: each participant can cast votes for the candidates once per 24 hours, on The World Games website. Each time, votes must be given to two candidates: two votes to your first-choice candidate and one vote to your second-choice candidate. The current ranking and the number of votes cast for each candidate can be seen on the voting page.
It is the eighth time that the IWGA has staged a vote for the Athlete of the Year. “It’s a kind of tradition, starting a new year celebrating the achievements of our outstanding athletes. This time we are not only looking back to successes in the past; we also look forward to our event in Birmingham, Alabama. Most of our candidates on the shortlist will be competing in The World Games from 7th to 17th July, too,” explained IWGA President José Perurena.
The winners in the past were:
2020 The World Games Greatest Athlete of All Time: Nicole David (MAS), Squash
2019: Rani Rampal (IND), Hockey
2018: Marina Chernova & Georgii Pataraia (RUS), Gymnastics
2017: Reza Alipourzenashandifar (IRI), Sport Climbing
2016: Sofia Olofsson (SWE), Muaythai
2015: Mwai Kumwenda (MAW), Netball
2014: Adam Ondra (CZE), Sport Climbing
2013: Marcel Hassemeier (GER), Livesaving
The World Games is a multi-sport event staged every four years by the International World Games Association, organised with the support of the International Olympic Committee. The 11th edition of The World Games will be held in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, 7-17 July 2022. 3,600 athletes from 34 sports and over 100 countries will take part in The World Games.
