ALBERTO GINÉS LÓPEZ IS A CANDIDATE FOR THE WORLD GAMES ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD

The International World Games Association (IWGA) recently published the candidates that will run for the The World Games Athlete of 2021 award, and Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Alberto Ginés López of Spain is among the 24 nominated athletes.

Last August, at 18 years old, Ginés López made history in Tokyo, Japan, by becoming Sport Climbing’s first-ever Olympic champion, joined only 24 hours later by Slovenia’s Janja Garnbret. The Spanish climber secured the men’s Combined gold medal by placing first in Speed, seventh in Boulder, and fourth in Lead, and preceding silver medallist Nathanial Coleman of the USA, and bronze medallist Jakob Schubert of Austria.

Voting will start on 10 January, with a shortlist of 10 candidates advancing to the final phase on 23 January. The winner of The World Games Athlete of the Year award will be elected on 31 January.

To vote for Alberto Ginés López click here.

Two climbers previously won the IWGA yearly award: Adam Ondra of the Czech Republic in 2014, and Reza Alipourshenazandifar of Iran in 2017.

The World Games Birmingham 2022 will take place in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, from 7 to 17 July. Medals in all three Sport Climbing disciplines – Boulder, Lead, and Speed – will be awarded. For schedule and updates click here.

Alberto Ginés López of Spain won gold at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
Photo: Dimitris Tosidis/IFSC