With so many of the top ten ranked women’s athletes participating, the competition promises to be fierce. Serving as Paris 2024 qualifiers for II1 athletes, the Global Games 2023 will turn as the ultimate battleground for the talented women in this particular category to showcase their skills, determination, and unwavering spirit to win their Golden ticket to the upcoming Paralympic Games.

Here are the top five A-listers who will try to outshine their competitors and claim their rightful place in Paris 2024:

1. Lea Ferney: A Paralympic Sensation

Seizing the top spot in the ITTF rankings, French athlete Lea Ferney has cemented herself as an intimidating force in the world of table tennis. Lea made headlines with her stellar performance at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, clinching a silver medal in her debut appearance. Though she faced defeat against Ebru Acer from Turkey in the 2022 Virtus European Summer Games, Lea bounced back to reclaim her spot atop the rankings at Andalucía 2022. Her tenacity and skill make her a strong contender for success at GG2023.

2. Natalia Kosmania: The Ukrainian Dynamo

 

Ranked second in the ITTF standings, Natalia Kosmania will represent Ukraine with unwavering determination. As the gold medalist from Rio 2016, she has proven herself on the global stage. With her sights set on securing a place at Paris 2024, Natalia is poised to demonstrate her exceptional talent at GG2023. Expect fireworks as she showcases her prowess against the world’s best.

3. NG Mui Wui: A Rising Star from Hong Kong

 

NG Mui Wui, the bronze medalist from Rio 2016, has been steadily climbing the ITTF rankings and currently sits in third place. Hailing from Hong Kong, NG Mui Wui’s skills and strategic play have propelled her to the forefront of the sport. Her doubles victory alongside Wong Ting Ting at the 2022 Andalucían Championships further solidifies her potential for success. Watch out for NG Mui Wui as she strives to reach new heights at GG2023.

4. Dorota Nowacka: The Polish Contender

 

Dorota Nowacka, the fourth-ranked Polish athlete, aims to make a strong comeback at GG2023. While she narrowly missed out on the finals at Rio 2016, her drive and determination have only grown stronger. Despite her defeat to fellow Polish athlete Lysiak Krystyna at the 2022 Spanish World Para Table Tennis Championship, Dorota remains a formidable competitor. GG2023 presents a perfect opportunity for her to showcase her resilience and compete at the highest level.

5. Ebru Acer: The Turkish Phenomenon

 

Ebru Acer, the rising star from Turkey, made a name for herself by defeating Paralympic medalist Lea Ferney at the 2022 Virtus European Championship. Although her subsequent performances did not match her early success, Ebru currently holds the fifth spot in the ITTF rankings. Her talent and potential are undeniable, and all eyes will be on her to see if she can replicate her remarkable Krakow 2022 performance at GG2023.

As they vie for a spot in Paris 2024, the competition promises to be intense, leaving spectators on the edge of their seats. The world will be watching as these exceptional women strive to secure their place among the elite and leave their mark on the world of II1 table tennis.

View Table Tennis Schedule

By Arunav Choudhury and Mousumi Mazumdar for Virtus

This year, competition and spirit will come together at Vichy as the first live tournament of Equestrian will take place at the Virtus Global Games 2023. It is one of the newest sports on the Virtus programme and was added in 2016. Virtus has organized six annual editions of Para Equestrian Video competition.

Throughout the decades, Equestrian has been an engaging sport which involves precise manoeuvres and movements demanding a delicate balance between agility and stability. As such, for the upcoming Equestrian tournaments at the Global Games 2023, athletes are preparing themselves with determination. Control and coordination will be put to the test as riders will have to come up with the perfect recipe involving skill, steadiness and communication with their horses to have a shot at victory and earn accolades.

Spanish rider Sonia Villalba, a Paralympian and three time II-1: Grade IV champion at the online para-dressage competition will compete in the tournament. Sonia is a veteran of Para Equestrian and has competed at many World and European championships including the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games. Expressing her excitement for the GG2023, Sonia says,

“I am very happy to see the efforts of Virtus to introduce Equestrian as one of their sports. I am hopeful that the celebration of Equestrian at the Global Games will be a huge step towards the total integration of the riders with intellectual impairment in the Paralympic movement in the future”.

Likewise, Alejandro Espejo from Spain and Sui Watts (AUS) have been winning all the II2 category events and will be riding to defend their spot. In addition, youngest among the athletes in the II3 category for Equestrian, Rui Yan Ta (TPE) with his youthful spirit and focus will also be present in the tournament and will be aspiring for glory at the 2023 Global Games. Also fulfilling their dreams are Andrew Driffield (AUS), Christopher Bradley (GBR), Georgina Maton (GBR), Laurie Descouture (FRA), Maria Sanchez (Spain), Tatjana Raible (GBR) in II1 and Anna Beem (USA) in II3.

Uta Rindfleisch, Chairperson of Virtus Equestrian expressed her heartfelt gratitude towards the LOC of GG2023 for not only organizing the first offline para-dressage competition, but also for taking on the demanding task to source suitable horses for the athletes who are not able to bring their own mounts to Vichy.

“After 5 years of video competitions we are absolutely excited to finally meet our riders at a live tournament, where athletes will have the chance to represent their country on the World Stage. In addition, having a veteran of Para Equestrian like Sonia will be inspiring for young athletes to join the Para Equestrian movement”,Uta told Virtus.

The inaugural edition of Equestrian at the Virtus Global Games will feature some of the greatest riders from Spain, Australia, Great Britain, USA, Egypt, Germany, Chinese Taipei as well as France.

An exciting tournament with a vibrant display of quality sport awaits in the month of June and the audience will be thrilled as well as delighted to witness a showcase of fine talents and exhilarating performances. This incredible addition to the list of sports at the Global Games 2023 will certainly create a memorable event for all participants. But more importantly, it will pave the way for future athletes to come together as fellow competitors, deliver their best and experience the wonder of sport.

View Equestrian schedule

            By Alisha Bramhall and Mousumi Mazumdar for Virtus

The first combat sport – Judo – and Karate Kata and Taekwondo Poomsae are making their way to the Global Games in Vichy this year. Some of the world’s greatest competitors are set to go for gold at the 6^th edition of the Games for athletes with intellectual impairments in Vichy France (June 4^th, 2023).

Taekwondo

Taekwondo Poomsae was first introduced at the 5^th World Para Taekwondo Championship in Moscow Russia in 2014 and debuted as a medal event at the 2019 Global Games in Brisbane.

In the Men’s category, United States of America’s Ji Soo Kim took home the gold medal for the P20 over 30 category while Edison Joel Chiguano Aguilar (ECU) claimed it for P20 Under 30 in Brisbane and both will make their appearance at GG2023. Michele Cianciotto (ITA) is also making his way to the Games, hoping to take revenge on Edison in the P20 under 30 category.

In the Women’s category, Jhormary Rojas representing Colombia will be defending her 2019 title in the  Over 30 Poomsae. Meanwhile USA’s Morgan Delany Barber will be trying to turn her 2019 silver medal into gold in the under 30 category, which she lost to Chilean Athlete, Matinez Paloma.

The USA dominated the medal tally in Brisbane with 4 medals, and with over 20 athletes making their debut at this year, eyes will be on the USA to see if they can repeat history.

View the Taekwondo schedule

Karate

Karate Kata is an inaugural sport on the Games programme and follows an MoU with World Karate Federation in 2020. The first Para-Karate championship (endorsed by Virtus) was held in Dubai in 2021 and featured two categories for athletes with intellectual impairment – K21(II1) and K 22(II2) for both female and male. Three of the world top ranked K21 female athletes will be competing in Vichy 2023.

In Dubai, Olivia Kákosy’s took home gold for the Hungarian team and, currently ranked no. 1, Kaksoy is looking to shine at the Global Games. Kákosy’s teammate and current World no. 3 Petra Kárpáti, took silver in Dubai and looks to go one better in Vichy.

Meanwhile 2019 European Para Karate Champion Charlene Odin is hoping for medal success at the Games. The French athlete is ranked 4^th in the world and is one to watch at the Games.

In K22, World No. 3, Alexandra Szabó from Hungary is another champion competing at GG2023 alongside Salma Eibrahim (Egy) and Natalia Olson from Canada who won Gold and Bronze respectively at Dubai 2021.

In the male categories, three of the top 10 K21 athletes are set to compete. Albert Singer, ranked 2^nd  took home the bronze medal for Germany in Dubai, whilst Antonio Pereira also gained a bronze medal for the Portuguese team. Pereira, who is currently ranked 3rd, is expected to face some tough competition from János Csatári from Hungary ranked 4^th.

In K22 males, interesting matches are expected between the four athletes, World no. 1, Mattia Allesina (ITA), Home favorite and World no. 3, Jordan Fonteney, World no. 4 representing Portugal JOÃO Azevedo and DANIELE MONTANARI (ITA) who is ranked seventh.

A total of 25 athletes will compete in Karate in its debut at the Global Games.

View the Karate schedule

Judo

Judo was added to the Virtus program in 2020 and was included as a competition event for the first time at the 2022 OA Games where a total of 23 athletes competed.  Some of the 2022 OA Games medallists are making their appearance at the GG2023 to create historical moments as the sport is making its way into the Global Games events calendar for the first time.

In the Female II1 category, Nikki McDermott (GBR)  took gold in Brisbane in the under 52kg along with teammate Skye Westwood (57kg category) who is also set to compete at the games.

In the II3 demonstration event, Phoebe Ladlow from Australia took Gold and is looking to repeat that this time at Vichy.

In the mens competition, double European champion Thomas Mawdsley (GBR) is one of the lead male entries of this year’s games with teammate Joshua Hughes who took gold in Brisbane in the under 73kg men II3.

The inaugural edition of Judo at the Virtus Global Games will feature the participation of the worlds top judo athletes from Japan, Israel, Poland, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Australia, Great Britain, Croatia, and France – a total of 43 athletes.

View the Judo Schedule

By Akhila Chungath and Mousumi Mazumdar for Virtus

The 2023 Virtus Global Games will see an impressive turnout of athletes from across the globe, showcasing their talent. The success of the previous Virtus Global Games tennis tournaments demonstrates not only the dedication of the athletes who participated but also the value of international sporting events in fostering the spirit of the sporting community. The 2023 Virtus Global Games Tennis tournaments will be backed by the International Tennis Federation for the second time in a row after their endorsement at GG2019.

In II1 Men’s Singles, let’s delve into the captivating rivalry between three top players: Australia’s Archie Graham, and Great Britain’s Fabrice Higgins and Dominic Iannotti. These three powerhouses have showcased their exceptional skills by securing victories over each other in various tournaments, captivating audiences worldwide. With the stakes high at GG2023 competing for the title of the surely put on another great show. Another player to watch out for will be Ondrej Sedlisky from the Czech Republic, who gave a tough competition to Archie at the 2022 World Championship and missed the gold by just a few points.

Among the II1 female players, a massive showdown is predicted between Anna Mcbride (GBR), Kelly Wren (AUS), and Hanne Lavreysen (BEL). At the age of 14, Anna McBride from Great Britain made a remarkable feat at the 2018 European Summer Games, winning the championship title and successfully defending her title at the 2019 Global Games. Hanne swooped up from second place at GG2019 to the top place at the 2022 World Championship and is not someone to be underestimated this season. Kelly missed the Gold by just few points at Krakow 2022 and will be looking for a redemption this time.

“I have recently lost weight and I now feel more energetic and can move as fast as a leopard over the court! I am training hard for the GG2023, I am continuing to train on the court to keep my level stable and off the court I am working on my endurance. I am looking forward to playing against my friends from all over the world”, Hanne told Virtus.

In Doubles, the Australian Mens Doubles team is looking forward to taking their third Global Games title but it will not be as easy as it looks. British duos Fabrice Higgins and Dominic Iannotti have been the toughest competitors for the Aussies who are returning to the Games with a determination to win the top spot. Likewise, Australian women dominated the II1 Womens Doubles in GG2019, but the dynamic doubles, Natalia Babinska & Dorota Kostka from Poland stole the spotlight at the 2022 World Championship, cementing their place as one of the top pairs in the sport last summer and only time will decide who gets their hand on this edition’s trophy.

Timothy Gould (AUS) has been dominating the II2 class since 2019 and is looking forward to having another successful event at Vichy.

With the II3 class getting introduced as a full competition event at Vichy, spectators will be rooting a little extra to welcome the first winners from this class.

It will be a thrilling spectacle as the world’s best players come together to showcase their skills with resilience and determination, and a battle for glory in the upcoming Virtus Global Games at Sporting Vichy-Bellerive Tennis.

Tennis Schedule: https://gg2023.org/en/sports/tennis-en/

For more updates, keep following GG2023 and Virtus Sport.

GG2023 is poised to be the most sustainable games in the history of Virtus Global Games and all other Virtus sporting events. This historical move is a result of a landmark environmental charter consisting of 15 binding principles which was developed by French Ministry of Sports and World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and has been signed by over 20 international sporting event organizers, including Paris 2024.

By signing the charter, organizers pledge their commitment to deliver environmentally responsible and sustainable major sport events. The charter objectives range from ethical food sourcing, waste management and recycling, efficient water and energy consumption, maximizing clean public transport and other sustainable transport methods, guaranteeing venue and site accessibility, embracing eco-friendly innovation and promoting gender equality.

To achieve this, the 2023 Global Games organizing committee assembled a team dedicated to ‘sustainable development’ back in 2020 and signed this charter on 16 December 2021. Marie-José Lallart and Pascal Griffault are leading the sustainable team, which will be responsible for implementing the necessary measures to ensure the games are eco-friendly. The team’s efforts will encompass various aspects such as waste management, energy usage, transportation, and overall sustainability in event operations.

MEET THE TEAM

                                                   

“One of the first tasks of the sustainable development team was to raise awareness and mobilise the entire GG organising committee around this issue. Each commission was informed of the charter and the 15 commitments and they reflected internally on the actions they could put in place,” Pascal Griffault told Virtus Sport.

This initiative aims to set a precedent for future Virtus sporting events and inspire other organizations to embrace sustainable practices. GG2023 presents an opportunity to demonstrate the significance of environmental responsibility in large-scale events and promote a more sustainable future.

A Global Games conference is also scheduled to take place on 3rd June at Palais des Congrès, where speakers and delegates will share their vision on this topic.

Five Eco-Friendly Action Highlights:

1. First Virtus Forest: As part of the sustainable initiatives at GG2023, each flag bearer will be receive a shrub at the opening ceremony which will be planted in an area destroyed by a storm to create the first Virtus forest at the closing ceremony. The Virtus forest will serve as a tangible representation of the commitment to preserving nature and will continue to grow and flourish long after the games have concluded, creating a lasting legacy of sustainability.
2. Eco-Ambassadors: To ensure the dissemination of Eco-friendly practices and raise awareness among general public and delegates, Eco-ambassadors will be stationed at every venue of GG2023 and will serve as informative guides, actively engaging with individuals and promoting sustainable actions throughout the event.
3. GG2023 water bottles: To reduce waste generation, the LOC has implemented a notable measure by supplying every participant with ‘GG2023 water bottles’ instead of disposable cups. This initiative aims to encourage the use of reusable water bottles, eliminating the need for single-use cups and minimizing plastic waste throughout the duration of GG2023.
4. Drinking Tap Water: Participants will be encouraged to drink tap water, reducing the reliance on plastic barrels or gallons traditionally used for supplying drinking water and promote responsible water usage throughout GG2023.
5. GG2023 Medals: Rumours suggest that the medals awarded at GG2023 will feature sustainable elements, although specific details have been kept secret. This sustainable approach towards the medals highlights the commitment of GG2023 to environmental responsibility and reinforces the overall theme of sustainability throughout the games.

Sustainable Development Partner

The GG2023’s sustainable team is powered by Aremacs, a non-profit association created in 2004. Its objective is to limit the environmental impacts of social, cultural and sporting events by offering concrete solutions to event organizers to reduce, manage and recover waste and by raising awareness among the public of events of respect for the environment.

A call-to-action for all visiting nations participating in GG2023 that focuses on six main areas has been provided:

 

1. SAVE ENERGY: Remember to switch off lights, fans, and electronic gadgets when they are not in use or when leaving the hotel room.

2. CARPOOL: Encourage sharing cars or cabs with friends, team members, or delegates when travelling to and from the hotel, games venues, or around the city.

3. SOFT MOVEMENTS: Opt for walking, cycling, or using electric vehicles to travel between venues and hotels, promoting sustainable and eco-friendly transportation methods.

4. SAVE WATER: 

• Practice water conservation by closing water faucets tightly after use.
• Take shorter showers to minimize water consumption.
• Finish the water in your bottle instead of leaving it unused.
• Be mindful of wise water usage throughout your entire stay.

5. PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Utilize public transportation options such as buses, trains, and trams to navigate the city, reducing individual carbon footprints and promoting sustainable transportation alternatives.

6. SOLIDARITY: Embrace a spirit of solidarity by supporting and engaging in sustainable practices, fostering a collective effort towards environmental responsibility.

By following these guidelines, participating nations can contribute to the overall sustainability goals of GG2023 and make a positive impact on the environment