Aditi Swami shortlisted for World Games' Athlete of the Year award

17-year-old Indian archer Aditi Swami has been shortlisted for the World Games’ Athlete of the Year Award 2023 on Thursday.

Aditi became India’s first individual world archery champion in 2023.

Aditi clinched the gold medal in both compound women's team and individual events. She was also the first-ever player to become the Under 18 world champion and the senior world champion in the same calendar year.

She is the sixth archer, fourth compound player and the third woman in the event to be nominated for the prestigious award in its ten-year history. An archer has never won the World Games award, so if Aditi wins the laurel she will be the first archer to achieve the feat.

Aditi was nominated for the award by World Archery.

The voting for the same will begin at 12.00 GMT on January 10. She has been shortlisted for the award along with several other athletes from various sports. The contest will run until the end of January, with only the top ten passing an initial cut-off mark on 22 January. Members of the public can vote once per day.

The list of shortlisted athletes also includes four-time jiu-jitsu world champion Faisal Al Ketbi of UAE, American Lacrosse star Brennan O’Neill and many other players from sports like baseball, roller sports and canoeing.

These 22 candidates have been nominated by their international federations which include players who are established names in their field as well as players who are on their way to becoming the big stars of the future. What is common among all the candidates is that they have enjoyed an outstanding year in their respective sports in 2023.

In the past, two Indian athletes won the award, both from field hockey. Indian men's team goalkeeper PR Sreejesh in 2022 and former Indian women's team captain Rani Rampal in 2019 won the Athlete of the Year award, respectively.