The History Maker has a definite orange flavour
Dick Jaspers is back where he belongs, in a Carom 3 cushion Billiards final at The World Games! In his long career - Birmingham is edition number six for the Dutch athlete - he has appeared in three finals. The first was Akita in 2001, where Jaspers faced his Nemesis, Daniel Sanchez from Spain. He made the main medal match in the next two editions as well; though out of these three finals the Dutch flag was only raised once in 2009. His guaranteed fourth medal now makes him the most prolific cue pusher at The World Games.
The safest prediction to make at The World Games is that The Netherlands will win the gold medal in Korfball. The mixed gender sport similar to basketball was first played at the 1985 edition in London. The Dutch team have shown total domination in the nine tournaments played, never losing a match. It is familiar opposition for them in the final, their Low Countries neighbour, Belgium. The perennial bridesmaids have fought valiantly and fruitlessly so many times, that they now list the silver step of the podium as their official address! Belgium's best chance of a gold medal is selecting Bart Swings, the most successful athlete at Birmingham 2022, and hoping that his invincibility rubs off on his team mates.
The Fans Favourites
Ruben Padilla did not have the double mini trampoline Final that his talents richly deserved. However his USA Gymnastics team mate and best friend Kaden Brown will be competing in the spectacular Men's Tumbling competition, where competitors somersault their way down a long bouncy track. Brown represents the best chance on the very last day of competition for the USA to medal one final time. After a slow start, the USA has shot up the medal table in the closing days of The World Games. Team USA athletes have done an incredible job, which has helped to bring the large, cheering crowds to their feet and created positive memories for athletes and fans alike.
Birmingham 2022 has been an amazing event, we have seen possibly the best collection of athletes ever assembled at any edition of The World Games, with impressive performances cheered on by enthusiastic crowds. The drone racers showed "it's a merry go round" The sumo athletes found " Once you get started, you can't sit down!" The B-Boys and B-Girls were "people dancing all in the street". Ask any Parkour specialist what they do, "raise the roof and have some fun" Sadly being the final day, the athletes can no longer "play on, play on, play on." With the last podium ceremony done, that can mean only one thing! We're going to party, fiesta….all night long! Yes it is the much anticipated Closing Ceremony, where the amazing athletes of Birmingham 2022 will be rewarded with applause for their achievements, the host city thanked for staging an unforgettable sporting carnival and Chengdu in People’s Republic of China charged with the hosting of the next edition of The World Games in 2025. If the Closing Ceremony is as good as the opening one, everyone at Protective Stadium will be buzzing. And in case you had not guessed, the musical cast is headed by global superstar and Alabama native Lionel Richie. So, thank you Birmingham for everything and it is goodbye to the Magic City as we leave you Dancing on the Ceiling!
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 is held in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, 7-17 July 2022. 3,600 athletes from 34 sports and over 100 countries take part in The World Games.
