The World Games 2022, Birmingham

 The World Games 2022, Birmingham, Alabama has concluded. We would like to thank our athletes Ken Cottrell (Kilkenny), Eoin Tynan (Fethard), Aisling Hickey (Rossmore) and Majella Haverty (Castlebar) who represented team Ireland at these Games.

The World Games is an international sports event held every four years. Staged over 11 days, The Games represents the pinnacle of competition for 3,600 of the world’s best athletes in 30+ unique, multi-disciplinary sports including racquetball. The World Games generates worldwide exposure for participating sports and provides a highly visible stage on which athletes from more than 100 countries compete for gold.

The team attended the Opening Ceremony on Thursday July 7th prior to the competition and our racquetball athletes were the sole athletes to walk in the parade for Team Ireland. A proud moment for Eoin Tynan to carry the Irish flag into the stadium of 50,000 onlookers. The events were broadcast on US television. View our athletes entering the stadium here:
https://www.facebook.com/racquetballireland/videos/364707799021208

The team began competition on Sunday 10th July competing in the round 16 against the top seeds of the draw in an all glass court under the new rally scoring rule:
#1 Alex Landa (USA) def Eoin Tynan 3-0
#3 Mario Mercado (COL) def Ken Cottrell 3-0
#2 Kelani Lawrence (USA) def Majella Haverty 3-0
#3 Rhonda Rajasch (USA) def Aisling Hickey 3-0

Well done to the team who proudly represented Ireland at The World Games competing against the worlds best on the global stage.

IRF All Glass Court

The Irish athletes met a host of international representatives at the World Games including current President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach, a dinner with IRF President Osvaldo Maggi and Asian General Secretary Yuni Cobb, meeting Mayor of Birmingham Randall Woodfin and catching up with Irish Consulate General for Southeast US Vice Consul Eimear Nolan and Caoimhe Ni Chonchuir as well as World Games Hall of Fame Athlete and Irish Tug of War legend James Kehoe (WEX).

Team Ireland with Irish Consulate General for Southeast US Vice Consul Eimear Nolan and Caoimhe Ni Chonchuir

Team Ireland with Mayor of Birmingham Randall Woodfin

Team Ireland with IRF President Osvaldo Maggi and Asian General Secretary Yuni Cobb

A special thank you to our athletes, The International Racquetball Federation, The World Games and The Irish Olympic Federation.