2025 World Games Success for Team GB
What a monumental performance by Great Britain's tug of war teams at the 2025 World Games in Chengdu! The nation celebrated a stunning victory as the men's team clinched the gold medal, while the women's team demonstrated their strength and determination with a commendable fifth-place finish.
Great Britain were represented by Lincoln in the mens 640kg and Melton Mowbray Ladies in the womens 500kg competitions.
Men's Team Claims Gold in a Thrilling Final
The men's 640kg team put on a spectacular display of power and technique, culminating in a dominant performance to secure the top spot on the podium. After a strong showing in the round-robin qualifying rounds, the team advanced to the semifinals, where they overcame Belgium to set up a gold-medal showdown with reigning champions Switzerland.
In a highly anticipated final, the British team was in formidable form, overpowering Switzerland with a convincing 2 ends to 0 victory. The win not only earned them the prestigious gold medal but also dethroned the Swiss team, marking a triumphant moment for British tug of war. The win was a testament to a year of dedicated training and hard work.
Congratulations to team members Will Lee, Gaz Shaw, Jack Routley, Dan Kenny, Lee Robinson, Dan Nicholls, Joe Birch, Ian Murphy, Coach Tim Lee, and reserves Paul Taylor and Richard Keightley.
Final Result:
Gold - Great Britain
Silver - Switzerland
Bronze - Germany
4th - Belgium
5th - Netherlands
6th - Chinese Taipei
You can re-watch the competition by clicking here.
Women's Team Earns 5th Place
The women's 500kg team also showcased their immense talent against fierce international competition. Unfortunately, the weather took a turn for the worse on the second day of competition, which left the the womens teams competing in tropical downpours, so much so that competitors were having to tip water out of their boots between matches!
Competing in a round-robin preliminary stage, the team faced tough opponents, including Chinese Taipei, who went on to win the gold medal.
Despite the challenging field, the Great Britain women's team delivered a strong performance, earning a spot in the fifth-place playoff. In a nail-biting match, the team pulled off a crucial victory against the United States to secure a respectable fifth-place ranking. This solid finish is a testament to the team's resilience and competitive spirit at the highest level of the sport.
It was not the result that our women's team wanted after so much hard training and commitment and not being able to show everyone what they could do in the wet conditions, but we are very proud of the huge amount of effort and commitment that was put in to get to the event.
Final result:
Gold - Chinese Taipei
Silver - Switizerland
Bronze - Sweden
4th - Germany
5th - Great Britain
6th - USA
GB Womens Squad - Rachel Birkle, Emma Haywood, Kate Brocklehurst, Zoe Brocklehurst, Siobhaun Jose, Isobel Machin, Helen Musson, Olivia Parry, Millie Tomlinson, Coached by Dave Meakin.
You can watch the women's competition again by 
clicking here.
These performances at the World Games were rightly recognised in the national press too, with some great articles and broadcasts in The Times, Times Radio, Radio 5 Live and GB News! Congratulations to everyone involved!
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