2019 Military World Games
2019 Military World Games: Amit Panghal, Muhammed Anas set to lead 55-strong Indian contingent in China
The World Military Games is a multi-sport event for military sportspeople, organised by the International Military Sports Council (CISM). It started in 1995 in Rome with 17 sports and 93 nations as participants. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, the 1st Games was organised. The games are held once every 4 years. India had hosted the 4th edition of the games in 2007 in Hyderabad with 101 nations as participants.
This will be the 7th edition of the Games, the slogan being “Military glory, world peace”. The games are scheduled from 18 to 27 October 2019 with 25 CISM Disciplines and two Demonstration sport. CISM also confirmed that track and field and archery will be organised for para-athletes. For the first time in the CISM World Games history, boxing competitions will be open for female military boxers as well!
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The opening ceremony that will be held on Friday will be divided into three parts. The first part is the pre-performance ceremony. The second part is made up of artistic performances. Themed "The Fireworks of Peace", this part lasts for about 50 minutes. The third part is the post-performance ceremony, including the torch relay and the lighting ceremony in the stadium, which will be ended with the event's theme song. The event will be held in 35 venues. it is the largest military sports event ever to be held in China, with over 10, 000 athletes from over 140 countries that are scheduled to compete in 27 sports.
Disciplines: Aeronautical Pentathlon (M & F) , Archery (M & F) (partly open to para-athlete), Basketball (M & F), Boxing (M & F) ,Cycling (M & F),Equestrian (M & F), Fencing (M & F), Football (M & F), Golf (M & F), Judo (M & F), Military Pentathlon (M & F), Modern Pentathlon (M & F),Naval Pentathlon (M & F), Orienteering (M & F),Parachuting (M & F), Sailing (M & F), Shooting (M & F),Swimming (M & F) (including Diving, Life-saving), Table Tennis (M & F),Taekwondo (M & F),Track & Fields (M & F) (including Marathon) (partly open to para-athlete),Triathlon (M & F),Volleyball (M & F) (including beach volleyball).
Demo Sport: Tennis (M & F) and Gymnastics (artistic gymnastics)
Russia, Germany, France, Brazil and other countries are veterans in the Olympic Games and other world-class events as well as the CISM World Military Games. India ranks 45 in the total medal tally winning a total of 21 (2 gold,3 silver and 16 bronze) medals in the previous editions. Russia ranks the list with 550 medals. Nearly 10,000 military personnel from over 100 countries will gather in central China's Wuhan to highlight military glory and world peace.
India has taken part in three editions of the military games in 2007, 2011 and 2015 till now. This year the contingent size being 55, hopefully, India will be able to increase the medal count in the games which will highlight the military glory of the Indian Army.
Amit Panghal, who won a silver medal at the World Boxing Championships, track and field athletes Avinash Sable, KT Irfan and Muhammed Anas, gymnasts Yogeshwar Singh and Rakesh Patra are some of the big names who will be representing India in China.
