Birmingham, Alabama - Belgian skater Bart Swings accomplished a historic first on the opening day of competition at The World Games. He became the first athlete to win a gold medal at The World Games and the Olympic Games in the same year.
Normally, The World Games are held in the year following the Summer Olympic Games, and the year before the Winter Olympic Games. However, the postponement of The World Games after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic opened the door for Swings to accomplish something that had been previously impossible.
He had already made history at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, winning Belgium’s first gold medal at the Winter Olympic Games in 74 years. An accomplishment he achieved in a sport that was more foreign to him.
“I only started [ice skating] when I was 19 years old,” said Swings. “I grew up with inline and wanted to achieve something special there first, so that’s why ice skating is, for me, more difficult to win and to get a gold medal in Beijing.”
He added, “[an] Olympic medal is of course something special, something big. It was 74 years since the last time Belgium won a gold medal at the Winter Olympic Games, so that was kind of a historic moment in Belgium. I’m of course very proud of that.”
“The World Games is different of course, non-Olympic sport, not as big, and doesn’t get as much attention, which is a little bit sad because my heart is in this sport,” admitted Swings.
His confidence, expertise, and heart shown through on the first day of competition at The World Games 2022. He took victory in the first event he entered.
“I grew up with this sport, within ice skating, it’s my passion,” explained Swings. “I always did it from when I was a child, so winning here is a very special feeling for me.”
“Going back to inline is easier because I have been inline skating since I was eight years old,” the Belgian explained. “It’s kind of in my blood and the movement is easy for me.”
“Going back to the ice is harder because it’s very technical and it’s something I really had to learn myself, [in order] to get the technique right,” he admitted. It’s always a switch you have to make.”
He also held larger aspirations for roller speed skating, telling Around The Rings, “I’d love to see it [in the Olympics]. I think this sport deserves it very well. The level is super high and I think I also kind of prove it by winning a gold medal in both disciplines.”
The World Games and Olympic champion then took on the role of marketer, saying, “as you can see, it is very entertaining, very physical and technical, so all aspects that’s nice about a sport.”
He implored, “let’s get it in the Olympics.”
The odds of roller speed skating joining the Olympic sports program anytime in the near future seem slim. However, World Skate, the governing body of roller speed skating, already has a foot in the door of the Olympic program through skateboarding. Perhaps the time will come for roller speed skating as well.
For now though, Swings will have to be happy about what he has achieved in 2022.
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