Are you looking for a shipping solution? Maybe you need to change freight carriers? Find out what the hard working and reliable people at Team Worldwide can do over land, sea and air
THE ATHLETES TO WATCH AT BIRMINGHAM 2022
The Opening Ceremony of The World Games which was an amazing party that focused on the rich history of Birmingham is now itself assigned to the history books. It is now down to business for the 3,600 athletes, as they go in quest of glory. With so many world class sportspeople in action, who are the superstars that are tipped to produce the most notable performances in Birmingham? These are the athletes that are going to put the magic into The Magic City.
There are so many amazing women athletes at The World Games, that it is hard to narrow it down to five, but these women are truly the best of the best.
Larysa Soloviova who was voted as the third greatest athlete of The World Games. The Ukrainian powerlifter has the opportunity to cement her legendary status, when she is in action later this evening. She has been to four editions of The World Games and has won gold on every occasion. There have been a couple of other female athletes who medalled in four editions, but no other has been on the top step of the podium every time they competed. A fifth medal of any kind would be historic; a fifth gold, would be beyond amazing, given the year delay to the Birmingham edition and her disrupted training due to the Russian invasion of her homeland.
Another of the eight athletes ranked amongst the Greatest of all Time is Mexican racquetball star Paola Longoria. Unlike many of the athletes competing in Birmingham, she is a household name in her native country. The greatest racquetball player in history will be going for her third consecutive gold medal in Birmingham
In orienteering, Swede Tove Alexandersson has won absolutely everything in her glittering career, apart from the title of Champion of The World Games. The absolutely dominant athlete will surely want to put that right before she leaves the Magic City.
Equally as speedy through water as Alexandersson is through fields and woods is Hungarian finswimmer Petra Senanszky. She won double gold in the last edition in Wroclaw 2017, both in World Record times, and will be favourite to replicate her success this time round.
Monika Chochlikova is aiming to become the first athlete to win medals in two different sports. Athletes have before won multiple medals in different disciplines of the same sport. The Slovak martial artist will be seeking to make history as she competes in both Muaythai and kickboxing.
Of the male athletes there is again an abundance of exceptional performers to choose from.
In archery, by medals it should be American superstar Brady Ellison, who is a very unlucky four-time silver medallist in total at both the Olympics (x2) and The World Games (x2). However, my selection for the must-see bowman is Mike Schloesser. The Dutchman has been in magnificent form in 2022, winning virtually every tournament he has taken part in. He will be full of confidence for a maiden title at The World Games.
In roller sports I have again had to choose between an Olympian and a non-Olympian, Belgian Bart Swings and Italian Luca Lucaroni. Both are magnificent competitors who have been Champions of The World Games for the last two editions in 2013 and 2017. Swings swapped his roller skates for ice skates to compete at the Winter Olympics where he has won gold and silver. Lucaroni is perfection on skates, his artistic skating routines are things of beauty and elegance. I would pay to watch both perform, but if I had to choose just one to watch, it would be the Italian.
Another Olympian making history in Birmingham is Venezuelan karate star Antonio Diaz. He has appeared at every edition of The World Games since Akita in 2001 and medalled every time, picking up two golds and three bronzes. He thought the long-awaited debut of Karate at the Olympics would be the culmination of his career. He finished a creditable fourth in Tokyo and immediately announced his retirement. However, he was nominated as reserve athlete for Birmingham; when someone dropped out, he gladly accepted the opportunity to compete in his sixth edition of The World Games, equalling the appearance record of The World Games most medalled athlete Steve Rajeff. Sadly, this is going to be his swansong, so no chance of getting close to Tug of War legend James Kehoe, who competed for Ireland an incredible nine times.
Another Akita champion back for more glory is Spanish billiards player Daniel Sanchez. Since winning gold in 2001, he has topped the podium on a further two occasions. This is remarkable consistency in a sport where success and failure is determined by millimetres.
In gymnastics, American Ruben Padilla will start as favourite for the double mini trampoline. At the age of four, his mum got fed up with the hyperactive child jumping off her sofa, and enrolled him in a gymnastics club. He discovered a love of leaping through the air and quickly excelled to the point where he was competing with the greatest champion in the history of the sport as an equal. Now Ruben finally gets to fulfil his lifelong ambition to compete in a global multi-sport event. Even better for him, it will be in front of his cheering home fans.
In team sports there are again plenty of excellent athletes to watch:
The most dominant team is found in korfball; the mixed gender, basketball style sport was introduced to The World Games in London in 2005 and has featured at every edition since. The Netherlands has won every gold medal contested, and has yet to lose a match. If you want to see team perfection looks like, then watch The Netherlands, and you would certainly want to be there when history is made, and some team finally inflicts the first defeat on the Dutch.
Equally dominant are the men’s Brazilian beach handball team who remain the only country to claim gold at The World Games. USA’s “handball ninja” Ebiye Jeremy Udo-Udoma has the acrobatic skills to challenge that statistic.
Toni Lenz won four consecutive medals for the German Womens Canoe Polo team, the only time the colour was not golden was when the Germans were beaten in the final in 2009.
In tug of war, Chinese Taipei’s women are always worth watching. They have the perfect blend of teamwork and unity, you will not see a purer form of sport than the Asian ladies pulling together. James Kehoe is amazed that despite the team using different college students each time, their performance level never drops.
In the Tokyo 2020 Olympics the Japanese softball team delighted the home fans as they played a near perfect game to shut out long standing rivals USA. If the two meet again in the final of the softball tournament in Birmingham, it will have double significance as the gold medal winner will also be crowned World Champions
There are so many amazing women athletes at The World Games, that it is hard to narrow it down to five, but these women are truly the best of the best.
Larysa Soloviova who was voted as the third greatest athlete of The World Games. The Ukrainian powerlifter has the opportunity to cement her legendary status, when she is in action later this evening. She has been to four editions of The World Games and has won gold on every occasion. There have been a couple of other female athletes who medalled in four editions, but no other has been on the top step of the podium every time they competed. A fifth medal of any kind would be historic; a fifth gold, would be beyond amazing, given the year delay to the Birmingham edition and her disrupted training due to the Russian invasion of her homeland.
Another of the eight athletes ranked amongst the Greatest of all Time is Mexican racquetball star Paola Longoria. Unlike many of the athletes competing in Birmingham, she is a household name in her native country. The greatest racquetball player in history will be going for her third consecutive gold medal in Birmingham
In orienteering, Swede Tove Alexandersson has won absolutely everything in her glittering career, apart from the title of Champion of The World Games. The absolutely dominant athlete will surely want to put that right before she leaves the Magic City.
Equally as speedy through water as Alexandersson is through fields and woods is Hungarian finswimmer Petra Senanszky. She won double gold in the last edition in Wroclaw 2017, both in World Record times, and will be favourite to replicate her success this time round.
Monika Chochlikova is aiming to become the first athlete to win medals in two different sports. Athletes have before won multiple medals in different disciplines of the same sport. The Slovak martial artist will be seeking to make history as she competes in both Muaythai and kickboxing.
Of the male athletes there is again an abundance of exceptional performers to choose from.
In archery, by medals it should be American superstar Brady Ellison, who is a very unlucky four-time silver medallist in total at both the Olympics (x2) and The World Games (x2). However, my selection for the must-see bowman is Mike Schloesser. The Dutchman has been in magnificent form in 2022, winning virtually every tournament he has taken part in. He will be full of confidence for a maiden title at The World Games.
In roller sports I have again had to choose between an Olympian and a non-Olympian, Belgian Bart Swings and Italian Luca Lucaroni. Both are magnificent competitors who have been Champions of The World Games for the last two editions in 2013 and 2017. Swings swapped his roller skates for ice skates to compete at the Winter Olympics where he has won gold and silver. Lucaroni is perfection on skates, his artistic skating routines are things of beauty and elegance. I would pay to watch both perform, but if I had to choose just one to watch, it would be the Italian.
Another Olympian making history in Birmingham is Venezuelan karate star Antonio Diaz. He has appeared at every edition of The World Games since Akita in 2001 and medalled every time, picking up two golds and three bronzes. He thought the long-awaited debut of Karate at the Olympics would be the culmination of his career. He finished a creditable fourth in Tokyo and immediately announced his retirement. However, he was nominated as reserve athlete for Birmingham; when someone dropped out, he gladly accepted the opportunity to compete in his sixth edition of The World Games, equalling the appearance record of The World Games most medalled athlete Steve Rajeff. Sadly, this is going to be his swansong, so no chance of getting close to Tug of War legend James Kehoe, who competed for Ireland an incredible nine times.
Another Akita champion back for more glory is Spanish billiards player Daniel Sanchez. Since winning gold in 2001, he has topped the podium on a further two occasions. This is remarkable consistency in a sport where success and failure is determined by millimetres.
In gymnastics, American Ruben Padilla will start as favourite for the double mini trampoline. At the age of four, his mum got fed up with the hyperactive child jumping off her sofa, and enrolled him in a gymnastics club. He discovered a love of leaping through the air and quickly excelled to the point where he was competing with the greatest champion in the history of the sport as an equal. Now Ruben finally gets to fulfil his lifelong ambition to compete in a global multi-sport event. Even better for him, it will be in front of his cheering home fans.
In team sports there are again plenty of excellent athletes to watch:
The most dominant team is found in korfball; the mixed gender, basketball style sport was introduced to The World Games in London in 2005 and has featured at every edition since. The Netherlands has won every gold medal contested, and has yet to lose a match. If you want to see team perfection looks like, then watch The Netherlands, and you would certainly want to be there when history is made, and some team finally inflicts the first defeat on the Dutch.
Equally dominant are the men’s Brazilian beach handball team who remain the only country to claim gold at The World Games. USA’s “handball ninja” Ebiye Jeremy Udo-Udoma has the acrobatic skills to challenge that statistic.
Toni Lenz won four consecutive medals for the German Womens Canoe Polo team, the only time the colour was not golden was when the Germans were beaten in the final in 2009.
In tug of war, Chinese Taipei’s women are always worth watching. They have the perfect blend of teamwork and unity, you will not see a purer form of sport than the Asian ladies pulling together. James Kehoe is amazed that despite the team using different college students each time, their performance level never drops.
In the Tokyo 2020 Olympics the Japanese softball team delighted the home fans as they played a near perfect game to shut out long standing rivals USA. If the two meet again in the final of the softball tournament in Birmingham, it will have double significance as the gold medal winner will also be crowned World Champions
