World Gymnastics Championships Liverpool 2022 celebrates one year to go milestone, until the city hosts one of the largest international sporting events in its history.
The championships will see over 500 of the world’s greatest gymnasts descend upon the city of Liverpool going head-to-head over nine action-packed days.
Liverpool, a city renowned for culture, sports, and major events is ready to welcome the world from the 29 October – 6 November 2022. Over the next 365 days, the championships will work with its partners to engage local communities and reach a national and international audience that will showcase the passion and excitement of the city and the sport of gymnastics. The event will be the first World Championships since 2019 that will be able to welcome international crowds providing an incredible experience for fans and athletes alike.
WGC2022 Ambassador and former World Champion, Beth Tweddle MBE and Olympic Bronze Medallists, Jennifer and Jessica Gadirova alongside GB Gymnast and 2019 parallel bars World Champion, Joe Fraser will join the celebrations working to inspire a new generation of athletes and to promote the sport and the city.
Claire Lewis, Chair of the World Gymnastics Championships Liverpool 2022, spoke on the excitement building up to next year and the competition’s desire to have a meaningful impact on the sport and the city:
“We are extremely excited to be delivering a world-class event for the city of Liverpool. The World Championships will be an incredible spectacle in an iconic UK sporting city, and we will bring an innovative, inclusive and engaging event that includes an outstanding spectator experience.
“So many of the world’s biggest gymnastics stars, along with a host of exceptional young talent will be bringing their A-game to Liverpool and one year away we are already on the edge of our seats. We are very much looking forward to introducing the thrill of gymnastics to a new generation and bringing the sport closer than ever to local communities.”
WGC2022 has also announced its commitment to deliver British Gymnastics Foundation’s ‘Love to Move’ programme in the Liverpool City region, as part of the event’s legacy initiative.
‘Love to Move’ is an age and dementia friendly chair-based gymnastics programme created by the British Gymnastics Foundation that uses seated activities to help older people with their memory, balance, flexibility and finger dexterity. The sessions are delivered in care homes and community settings across the UK and have contributed to a marked improvement in many of their regular participants.
The organising committee has committed to training a minimum of 20 staff in seven care homes across Liverpool to deliver sessions to residents helping to enrich the lives of many of the city’s older residents ensuring the event is inclusive and progressive. The first cohort of instructors have started their training and will be ready to deliver the programme in the coming weeks.
Louise Roberts, Head of Programmes at the British Gymnastics Foundation, reflected on the value of the Love to Move programme to champion inclusivity as part of the lasting legacy of the championships:
“Our Love to Move programme integrates the use of gymnastic foundation skills, cognitive stimulation therapy and social activities. The exercises work the left and right sides of the brain separately, which benefits older people and those living with dementia and mild cognitive impairment. We have seen the positive impact Love to Move can have on the physical and cognitive aspects of older people in the last few years and we want to reach as many Care Homes in the City of Liverpool as we can so that more people can feel the benefits. We are proud to be part of the World Gymnastics Championships 2022 legacy project and are looking forward to creating sustainable Love to Move sessions across the city.”
BBC has been announced as host broadcaster for the championships. The previous World Gymnastics Championships generated 643 broadcast hours to a worldwide audience of more than 664 million people.
BBC Director of Sport, Barbara Slater, voiced her excitement with one year to go until the Championships is brought to the BBC:
“In a fantastic year of sport on the BBC, we are delighted to add another prestigious event that will connect a World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool to the widest possible audience.”
Beth Tweddle MBE, former World champion and WGC2022 ambassador added:
“The nation showed their support and love for gymnastics during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games so having the World Gymnastics Championships Liverpool 2022 next year will be really special, particularly as for many it will be the first time competing in front of a packed crowd since the pandemic began.
“The announcement today that the BBC is broadcasting the World Gymnastics Championships 2022 means that millions of people across the UK and beyond will get to be part of this very special event. There’s so much young and exciting talent coming through the sport, and I can’t wait to see both the established and new names going head-to-head in Liverpool next year.”
The World Gymnastics Championships Liverpool 2022 will take place at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool 29 Oct – 6 Nov 2022.
This Olympic qualifying event for the Paris 2024 games will be one of the largest international sporting events ever to be held in the city. To find out more and get your tickets, visit 2022worldgymnastics.com.
