Numerous Tokyo 2020 Olympians will compete at The World Games in July with 107 countries taking part

On July 4, the president of the International Association of World Games (IWGA), the Spaniard José Perurena, will arrive in Birmingham, Alabama trusting in the work of the organizers for seven years.

“We have nothing in sight that could cloud The World Games for us,” Perurena told Around The Rings from Madrid, the city where he lives.

Birmingham, the largest city in the state of Alabama, will host The World Games from July 7-17.

In the most updated report obtained by Around The Rings, the mega-event registers up to this minute 3,620 athletes from 107 countries who will compete in 34 sports in more than a dozen venues around the metropolitan area that could accommodate some 500,000 people.

The IWGA announced Birmingham as the host city in January 2015, beating out Lima, Peru and Ufa, Russia.

The World Games were to have been held in 2021, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the Olympics by a year, causing a “domino effect” of postponements to numerous events including The World Games.

For the appointment in Birmingham Perurena has revealed the presence of numerous athletes who competed in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

There will also be a Winter Olympian competing as well. In skating, Bart René Swings, a Belgian athlete who has participated in three Winter Olympic Games with two medals, one silver in PyeongChang 2018 and gold in Beijing 2022. He was fourth in Sochi 2014. He is the first Belgian to win two Winter Olympic medals.

Among the Tokyo Olympians, six are in archery led by Gaby Bayardo, from the Netherlands, silver medalist with the mixed team, and Chilean Mariana Zuñiga, silver medalist in the compound bow of the Paralympic Games.

Women’s softball will be strong as well. The six teams that competed in Tokyo will be seen in Birmingham led by their three medalists: Japan, the United States and Canada. The list is completed by Mexico, Italy and Australia. The tournament will feature eight teams with the inclusion of Chinese Taipei and Puerto Rico.

Of the 38 registered karate fighters, 17 are Olympic medalists. Four Olympians will be seen in sport climbing, as will eight rhythmic gymnastics athletes.

Local officials have predicted The World Games could give Birmingham a major international image and economic boost. The Games are considered the largest international sporting event in the history of the state of Alabama.

Television stations from 60 countries have already confirmed for the opening ceremony.

“We hope The World Games take place within the normal course because everything is ready,” says Perurena

“The whole world will be watching us, because after the Winter Olympic Games, “super-closed” in Beijing due to the pandemic, we are now the first universal Games in the arena after canceling the World Universiade and the Asian Games.

“We have observed in the people of Birmingham the great desire to attend their Games”, commented Perurena.

The excitement has been showing in ticket sales with strong interest in the opening ceremony at the Protector Stadium on July 7, and in the sumo, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse tournaments.

The World Games in Birmingham have also been projected as an important scenario of solidarity towards Ukraine, still dealing with the invasion more than four months ago by Russia.

The IWGA confirmed to ATR the latest number of Ukrainian participation: 101 athletes in 16 disciplines.