MINSK, 22 February (BelTA) - The official opening ceremony of the Games of the Future, an international multi-sport tournament in the phygital concept, based on a combination of physical activity, modern technologies and digital environment, took place in Russia’s Kazan on 21 February, BelTA has learned.
The Games of the Future have gathered more than 2,000 athletes and cyberathletes from 107 countries. The competitions comprise five categories (challenges): sport, tactics, strategy, speedrun and technology. The sports challenge combines classic sports and their digital form. First, participants play a match in an appropriate simulator on a game console, and then go to the real field, where the points scored are added up with the points earned in virtual reality.
The tactical challenge combines computer shooters and laser tag arena competitions. The battle challenge includes endurance and wit tests for two games in a specially designed arena. The speedrun challenge will require the fastest possible passing of retro games, and the technical challenge is a competition of drones and robots.
Belarusians will compete in seven disciplines: phygital basketball, phygital hockey, phygital martials arts, VR cycling, battle of robots, World of Tanks and Dota 2. The hockey competition kicked off on 19 February. Following the group stage, AK BARS and COSMOS X17 teams advanced to the semifinals. The medal events will take place on Friday.
17 countries are taking part in the phygital basketball which kicked off on 21 February. The group stage will last until Saturday. Playoff matches are scheduled for 25-28 February. The final will take place on 29 February.
12 teams are competing in VR cycling. Belarus’ team comprises athletes of the Minsk cycling club – Hanna Tserakh, Taisa Naskovich, Yauhen Sobal, and Mikhail Shemetau.
The phygital martials arts event will feature representatives of the Belarusian MMA Academy Antonina Manko and Aliaksandr Kavalyou. Each fight will consist of digital and physical stages. The final is due on 23 February.
Belarus’ CRAZY BUNNY LAB will compete in the battle of robots. The event will take place on 24-26 February.
The multi-sport tournament in Kazan will be over on 3 March.
