World Champions in Rock ‘n’ Roll, Michelle Uhl and Tobias Bludau (GER) won bronze at The World Games 2017, but in 2022 they climbed to the highest podium when winning the gold medal at The World Games in Birmingham, Alabama. “We trained 5 years for this one moment,” the couple say. They are Looking Back to Birmingham this week!
“We started with DanceSport young, at the age of 7,” Uhl and Bludau say. “We danced in the same club and sometimes also in the same junior formation together. For the past 8 years, we have danced as a couple in the highest class of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” The dance discipline is their favourite, as it is “the perfect mix of strength, performance gymnastics and dance.”
During their 8-year-long career together, Uhl and Bludau have competed in two editions of The World Games. In Wroclaw 2017 they won bronze, and in Birmingham 2022 gold. “The atmosphere at The World Games 2022 was amazing. We always had this feeling of being in a big family of sports, starting at the athletes’ village and ending on the stage in the arena. Our best moment was of course standing on the podium and finally achieving our biggest dream, The World Games gold medal!” the couple say. “The World Games is different from all other championships.We trained for 5 years for this one moment!”
Michelle Uhl and Tobias Bludau partake in other sports too. Bludau is a former Hockey player, and Uhl used to swim. If they had to compete in another sport of The World Games, they would choose Breaking or Life Saving. “We enjoyed watching these sports in Birmingham, and the atmosphere at Breaking was amazing!”
The couple managed to see some sports live during the Games, and watched others on TV. “It was a fantastic experience,” they say. “It was so special not only competing in your own sport, but also seeing other amazing athletes and sports.”
After The World Games, the Rock ‘n’ Roll couple have now ended their sports career. Bludau works as an engineer and Uhl as a nurse.
The World Games is a multi-sport event staged every four years by the International World Games Association, organised with the support of the International Olympic Committee. The World Games 2022 was held in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, 7-17 July 2022. 3,600 athletes from 34 sports and 100 countries took part in the Games. The 12th edition of The World Games will be held in Chengdu, CHN in 2025.
