100-Day Countdown to The World Games 2022 Begins with Announcement of ‘Epic Journey’ American Flag Will Take From U.S. Capitol to Opening Ceremony
To mark 100 days to go before The World Games 2022 begin, officials from the Birmingham Organising Committee and Airbus announced they are partnering with Team Red, White and Blue for “The Team RWB Old Glory Relay to The World Games 2022 presented by Airbus.”
The relay is an epic journey where thousands of America’s military veterans will each have their turn carrying the same American flag from the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. to the Opening Ceremony of TheWorld Games at Protective Stadium in Birmingham.
An expected 3,600 elite athletes from more than 100 countries will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals in exciting and emerging sports from 7-17 July at The World Games 2022. This year marks the 11th edition of The World Games and the first that will be held on U.S. soil in over 40 years.
“It’s going to be an incredible moment of national unity to watch veterans bring the American flag into the Opening Ceremony in front of a live, global audience as our country plays host to thousands of athletes and fans from every corner of the world,” said Nick Sellers, CEO of The World Games 2022. “We are thankful to our partner Airbus for making this possible and can’t wait to track the progress of Old Glory as our honoured veterans take the flag on this epic journey.”
“Airbus is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the Old Glory Relay and to support this incredible effort that will connect veterans from across the country to an inspiring mission,” said Daryl Taylor, Vice President and General Manager of the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile, Alabama. “A significant portion of our workforce at Airbus served our nation in uniform, so we are especially honoured to partner with The World Games 2022 to show our admiration and support for America’s veterans.”
Team Red, White and Blue (Team RWB) works to support veterans by helping them find lasting fulfillment through the creation of deep bonds with other veterans and civilian supporters.
“Each time the American flag is passed from one runner or cyclist to the next during its epic journey from Washington, DC to Birmingham, Alabama, it builds a valuable connection and unforgettable pride” said Team RWB’s Founder and Executive Director Mike Erwin. “We are fired up to partner with Airbus in this year’s Old Glory Relay and look forward to inspiring millions of people on the journey, most importantly on 7 July when we carry the flag into the Opening Ceremony to help kick off The World Games 2022!”
Plans call for the Old Glory Relay to begin in late May and culminate on 7 July as the flag is carried into Protective Stadium to herald the start of The World Games 2022. The Opening Ceremony, presented by Alabama Power, will be a colourful and entertaining celebration of sports featuring live musical performances, special effects and a parade of athletes from every competing nation.
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.