25 candidates when voting opens tomorrow
25 candidates – a number equalling the record from last year – from 25 sports have been nominated by their international federations to compete in the online voting for The World Games Athlete of the Year 2019.
This is the 6th time that the IWGA is running the race for the Athlete of the Year. The award honours an athlete or a team for their outstanding performance in 2019, or for their social commitment or particularly fair behaviour.
This year, voting begins at 09:00 CET on 8th January and ends at 15:00 CET on Thursday 30th January 2020. As before there will be a fixed date, after which only the 10 candidates with most votes at that time will continue in the race, and this date is 20th January.
As in previous years, votes can be cast once in every 24 hours. As a new rule this year, all voters must vote for two candidates at the same time, giving one candidate two votes and another candidate one vote. It is hoped that this will bring The World Games family closer to each other, by introducing the athletes to more than just their ‘own’ fans. The athletes’ list on the voting page will be in random order, with the order changed each day, in order to avoid the same candidates always getting the second votes.
Last year, the Acrobatic Gymnastics couple Mariia Chernova & Georgii Pataraia (RUS) won the title with 159,348 votes, just ahead of the American Powerlifter Jennifer Thompson with 152,865 votes. All in all a record number of votes, 492,104, were cast in last year’s race. The winners will receive trophies and prizes from the official sponsor Protective Life.
Voting page, candidates and the voting rules
Candidates for The World Games Athlete of the Year 2019:
Aikido
Christian Tissier
FRA
Airsports
Wanraya Wannapong
THA
Archery
Sara Lopez
COL
Baseball - Softball
Stacey Porter
AUS
Beach Handball
Team Brazil
BRA
Bowling
Maria Rodriguez
COL
Canoe
Mads Pedersen
DEN
DanceSport
Armen Tsaturyan & Svetlana Gudyno
RUS
Finswimming
Pavel Kabanov
RUS
Fistball
Mateus Kuntzler
BRA
Floorball
U19 Team Czech Republic
CZE
Flying Disc
Team Finland
FIN
Gymnastics
Davide Donati & Michela Castoldi
ITA
Hockey
Rani
IND
Karate
Stanislav Horuna
UKR
Kickboxing
Vladislav Tuinov
RUS
Lacrosse
Madison Copeland
AUS
Muaythai
Jimmy Vienot
FRA
Orienteering
Tove Alexandersson
SWE
Powerlifting
Rhaea Stinn
CAN
Racquetball
Paola Longoria
MEX
Roller Sports
Katerina Mrazova
CZE
Sport Climbing
Janja Garnbret
SLO
Tug of war
Team Netherlands
NED
Waterski & Wakeboard
Nic Rapa
AUS
ABOUT PROTECTIVE
Protective Life Corporation provides financial services through the production, distribution and administration of insurance and investment products throughout the U.S. The company traces its roots to the corporation’s flagship company, Protective Life Insurance Company – founded in 1907. Throughout its more than 110-year history, Protective’s growth and success can be largely attributed to its ongoing commitment to serving people and doing the right thing – for its employees, distributors, and most importantly, its customers. The company’s home office is located in Birmingham, Alabama, and its 3,000 employees are located in offices across the United States. As of December 31 2018, the Company had assets of approximately $90 billion. Protective Life Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dai-ichi Life Holdings, Inc. (TSE:8750). For more information about Protective, please visit www.Protective.com.
The World Games is a multi-sport event staged every four years by the International World Games Association under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee. The 11th edition of The World Games will be held in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, 15-25 July 2021. 3,600 athletes from over 30 sports and 100 countries will take part in the Games.
