Who will be the World Games Athlete of the Year 2019?

AFT News Network // 19 January 2020 – Drone Racing pilot Wanraya Wannapong, 12, is one of the 25 candidates to compete in the online voting for The World Games Athlete of the Year 2019.

Female FAI World Drone Racing Champion 2019 – and 2018 – Wanraya, who goes by the name “Milk” when she is racing, is one of the youngest, and most successful competitive drone racers in the world.

The Thai schoolgirl, who lives in Bangkok with her parents, took up drone racing at just eight years of age. Stoic under pressure, she successfully defended her 2018 female title at the FAI World Drone Racing Championship Grand Final 2019, held in Xiangshan Ningbo, China in December.

Her other victories include the 2018 China Drone Racing Open, held in Shenzhen, China in May 2018, where she was the overall winner.

Her overall goal is to become the overall FAI World Drone Racing Champion, a dream supported by her father, who practises with her in the family’s training field in Thailand.

And she certainly has the motivation to get there! “I fly every day, and all day when I am not at school,” Wanraya said.

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Updates as of 20 January 2020 – After a first round of voting tighter than ever before, the 10 candidates with most votes now continue the race towards becoming The World Games Athlete / Team of the Year 2019.

This is the 6th time that the IWGA is running the race for the Athlete of the Year. The award honours an athlete or a team for their outstanding performance in 2019, or for their social commitment or particularly fair behaviour.

This year, voting began at 09:00 CET on 8th January and will end at 15:00 CET on Thursday 30th January 2020.

All candidates at 20 January 16:00 CET:

1. Rani (Hockey, IND) 109,179
2. Stanislav Horuna (Karate, UKR) 62,628
3. Rhaea Stinn (Powerlifting, CAN) 29,689
4. Janja Garnbret (Sport Climbing, SLO) 22,401
5. Davide Donati & Michela Castoldi (Gymnastics, ITA) 20,739
6. Armen Tsaturyan & Svetlana Gudyno (DanceSport, RUS) 14,946
7. Mateus Kuntzler (Fistball, BRA) 11,922
8. Team Finland (Flying Disc) 11,709
9. U19 Team Czech Republic (Floorball) 11,652
10. Sara Lopez (Archery, COL) 11,607
11. Wanraya Wannapong (Air Sports, THA) 10,995
12. Vladislav Tuinov (Kickboxing, RUS) 16 10,021
13. Netherlands (Tug of War) 9,844
14. Stacey Porter (Baseball/Softball, AUS) 9,698
15. Christian Tissier (Aikido, FRA) 9,554
16. Maria Rodriguez (Bowling, COL) 9,548
17. Madison Copeland (Lacrosse, AUS) 9,412
18. Paola Longoria (Racquetball, MEX) 9,411
19. Nic Rapa (Waterski&Wakeboard, AUS) 9,300
20. Katerina Mrazova (Roller Sports, CZE) 9,194
21. Jimmy Vienot (Muaythai, FRA) 9,146
22. Brazil (Beach Handball) 9,144
23. Mads Pedersen (Canoe, DEN) 9,143
24. Pavel Kabanov (Finswimming, RUS) 9,139
25. Tove Alexandersson (Orienteering, SWE) 9,136

Visit this link to vote.

The World Games is a multi-sport event staged every four years by the International World Games Association under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee. The 11th edition of The World Games will be held in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, 15-25 July 2021. 3,600 athletes from over 30 sports and 100 countries will take part in the Games.

This news release has been issued by PRNews.gointernationalgroup.com for AsiaFitnessToday.com. Source: FAI and The World Games.