The 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama, are officially under way after the opening ceremony on Thursday night. Team SA are one of the nations competing and it was powerlifter Christi de Jager who carried the country’s flag as the Games exploded into life.
“It was such a tremendous honour for me to carry the flag,” said De Jager. “I couldn’t be more proud to be South African.”
The action starts on Friday and archery and tenpin bowling get things going for Team SA. “The opening ceremony was wonderful,” said chef de mission Kim Pople.
“There was a big roar when Christie walked into the stadium and there was also a goosebumps moment when the Ukraine team entered. The entire stadium stood up to applaud them.
“Now that the Games are open it’s time to put the athletes minds to rest and they can get on with doing the best they can. All the countries here are united and we are ready to make these Games truly memorable,” she added.
The Birmingham City Council called an emergency meeting on Thursday in order to declare a State of Emergency during the World Games.
A City of Birmingham spokesperson released this statement: “The action by the Birmingham City Council allows the City to streamline resources to provide for The World Games over the course of the 11-day period. This allows the City the flexibility to enter into agreements with other entities without further action from the Council. This is a proactive approach to address any unanticipated needs throughout the event.”