National sportsmen awarded for highest results at World Games 2022

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has awarded sportsmen and their coaches for the highest results at the 6th World Games in Birmingham, United States, Azernews reports.

According to the decree, the award has been established in the following amount:

- for the athlete winning the first place – 20,000 manat ($11,765), personal coach – 10,000 manat ($5,887), head coach – 10,000 manat ($5,887);

- for the team winning third place – 20,000 manats ($11,765), each coach of the team – 5,000 manat ($2,943).

At the 6th World Games, Azerbaijan won one gold medal and one bronze medal.

Azerbaijani kickboxer Bahram Rajabzada grabbed a gold medal while the national gymnastics team, which included Aykhan Ahmadli, Rauf Hajiyev, Nigar Mir Jalalli, Nazrin Mustafayeva, Madina Mustafayeva, Sanan Mahmudlu, Hadija Guliyeva, and Vladimir Dolmatov, won bronze medals in the aero dance program. The country finished in 45th place on the medal table.

The World Games 2022 was held from July 7 to 17, 2022 in Birmingham. The host city was chosen by the International World Games Association in 2015.

The Games featured 30 official sports including 54 disciplines encompassing 206 events.

This was the first time that drone racing, canoe marathon, breaking, women's fistball, kickboxing, and parkour have been included in the World Games as official sports.

Softball and racquetball are returning to the official World Games program. Invitational sports comprising 17 events include duathlon, flag football, wheelchair rugby, wushu (taolu), and men's lacrosse.

Both men's and women's field lacrosse will be played in a six-a-side format.

The numbers in parentheses indicate the number of medal events contested in each sports discipline.