More than 3,000 Cheer Athletes from Over 70 Countries Compete in Third Global Competition Since Receiving Recognition by the International Olympic Committee
ORLANDO, Florida, April 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Cheer Union (ICU), the recognized World Governing Body of Cheerleading, this week held its annual World Cheerleading Championships in Orlando, Florida, crowning the top cheer champions in the world in multiple divisions.
Teams from more than 70 countries competed in the cheerleading's preeminent event, that took place April 24 through April 26. The USA took home the gold in Coed Premier, and Finland took home the gold in Premier All Girl. Full results are available on cheerunion.org.
ALL GIRL ELITE Gold: Chile Silver: Australia Bronze: Slovenia | ALL GIRL PREMIER Gold: Finland Silver: USA Bronze: Norway |
COED ELITE Gold: Colombia Silver: Ecuador Bronze: Costa Rica | COED PREMIER Gold: USA Silver: Canada Bronze: Chinese Taipei |
"It was incredibly exciting to watch the athletes who traveled near and far to compete at the World Championships this year. Cheerleading has become increasingly popular across the globe, and these athletes are the sport's global ambassadors representing their respective communities and countries," said International Cheer Union President Jeff Webb. "We see cheerleading as an international sport that helps unite its athletes throughout the world. The World Championships provide a remarkable platform for our sport's top athletes to showcase their amazing skills."
More than 70 participating countries at the 2019 World Cheerleading Championships demonstrated the true diversity of the sport, with athletes, coaches and fans traveling from countries such as Australia, Japan, Germany, Sweden, Mexico, South Africa, England, and Jamaica, and more.
The ICU partnered with the Olympic Channel again this year to live stream the international event to fans worldwide. Featuring news, articles, and live programming about the power of sport and the Olympic Games, the Olympic Channel is a digital-first, multi-platform global media destination.
The ICU held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Tuesday, April 23rd in advance of the ICU World Championships. At this year's meeting, Secretary General Karl Olson opened with an overview of the previous year, and a series of reports from various committees. President Jeff Webb outlined the strategic objectives of the ICU, which focused on broad-based geographic growth, as well as efforts to assist the ICU's national federations in obtaining recognition by their respective National Olympic Committees.
The ICU's mission is to advance cheerleading participation throughout the world and provide a safe environment for athletes. The ICU was recognized in 2016 by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the International Governing Body for Cheerleading. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in the United States, there are currently 116 countries with national federations who are members of the ICU. Together with its members, the ICU organizes and supports continental and regional competitions throughout the year, culminating in the annual ICU World Championships.
For more information on the ICU World Cheerleading Championships, please visit cheerunion.org.
About The International Cheer Union
The International Cheer Union (ICU) was formed as the non-profit international governing entity whose mission is to advance cheerleading on a global scale. With 116 member nations, the ICU represents all geographical areas where cheerleading exists. The ICU promotes healthy competition, rule development and education for athletes, coaches, and parents. More information can be found on www.cheerunion.org. Photography and b-roll video available upon request.
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