Award Ceremony at the 2015 Climbing World Cup in Chamonix
Adam Ondra: IWGA Athlete of the Year 2014
Adam Ondra from the Czech Republic was elected IWGA Athlete of the Year 2014. The award ceremony will take place at the 2015 Climbing World Cup in Chamonix, Mont-Blanc on Saturday 11 July.
On behalf of IWGA President José Perurena, IWGA CEO Joachim Gossow will present a commemorative trophy recognizing Adam Ondra’s outstanding achievements in 2014. The 22-year-old Czech climber from Brno was crowned IFSC Boulder World Champion in Munich last year and was IWGA athlete of the month for August 2014.
The election for athlete or team of the year was held online voting from 1 until 31 January. Supporters and friends of The World Games could cast a vote for their preferred top athlete /top team of 2014. The shortlist comprised the nine IWGA Athletes / Teams of the Month in 2014. It was the second time that the IWGA has staged a vote for the Athlete of the Year.
Adam Ondra topped the poll with 34.1% of the votes. Valentina Shevchenko (Peru), a World Champion in Muaythai, achieved 23,5 % of the votes. Third place went to the Latin Dance couple from Italy Nino Langella & Khrystyna Moshenska.
Speaking of his election, Adam Ondra said: “It is a great success, obviously for me, but most importantly for our sport of climbing. I am sure that climbing and its athletes deserve more attention and I am honored to be one of the athletes representing our sport internationally and world-wide”. He added: “Last year was just a fairy-tale. My main goal was to win the World Championships in lead, which I succeeded in doing. And on top of that, the World Champion title in bouldering was a sweet surprise.”
Sport Climbing will be on the program of the 10th edition of The World Games in 2017 in Wroclaw, Poland. Adam Ondra is looking forward to this event, “because I will have the chance to perform in The World Games for the first time in my career.”
Final rankings of The World Games Athlete 2014:
1. Adam Ondra (CZE / Sport Climbing) 34,1 % (4729 Votes)
2. Valentina Shevchenko (PER/Muaythai) 23,5 (3268)
3. Nino Langella & Khrystyna Moshenska (ITA/Dance Sport) 17,4 % (2412)
4. Carl Yngvar Christensen (NOR/Powerlifting) 9,8 %, (1362)
5. Men’s Floorball Team (SWE) 6,2 % (865)
6. Paola Longoria (MEX/ Racquetball) 2,9 %, (405)
7. Sarah Lopez (COL/Archery) 2,8 % (392)
8. Women's Canoe Polo Team (GER), 1,9 % (266)
9. Men’s Beach Handball Team (BRA), 1,4 %, (198)
Find out more about Sport Climbing on The World Games Channel.