Coin Press - Handbag tosses and high-heeled sprints: Amsterdam celebrates Drag Olympics

The 22nd annual event hosted Friday is the world's largest sporting event dedicated to drag queens and kings, according to organisers the House of Hopelezz, Amsterdam's oldest drag community.

The competitors, some professional drag performers and others more novice, faced off in five events -- the high-heel race, handbag toss, tug-of-war, "bitch" volleyball and hula hoop.

"The first time that I was here was two years ago, and I was totally mesmerised with the performances in between the competition," candidate Nippy Le Twist, 35, whose real name is Rutger van Aken, told AFP just before the competition.

"It's a side of myself that I haven't publicly shown before, only during the COVID times with close friends at home. And I'm excited to see what this evokes in myself," she said, batting her rhinestone-studded lashes.

- Out of the closet -

"It's a silly event, it's a stupid event, but it's just, yeah, it's a fun thing to do and every year it got busier and busier, more public, more audience and more competitors," said Jennifer Hopelezz, whose real name is Richard Keldoulis, founder of the House of Hopelezz.

Anyone with a wig and heels is welcome to sign up.

During preparations, professional makeup artists were on hand to deal with any "cosmetic emergencies" while organisers reminded participants how important it is to choose heels they can actually walk in.

For the opening, Jennifer Hopelezz, dressed in a high-cut rainbow swimsuit that showed off her generously padded hips, carried the Olympic flame -- with a pink smoke flare -- through the crowd of spectators.

Once on stage, she spoke of the fears one week after the deadly attack on Berlin's Gay Pride, as well as the wars around the world and called for an Olympic truce.

She then welcomed to the stage around 10 contestants from the Netherlands, Ireland, Morocco, Russia, France, Mexico and Iran.

"People are a bit nervous, and there's a bit of a shadow over Pride, but we're kind of determined not to go back in the closet, be visible and celebrate Pride, and not let people take that away from us," she said.

Between events, several drag artists gave resolutely political performances, including a Lebanese-Palestinian drag queen referencing the war in the Middle East and drag king Vinny von Vincy declaring on stage the message that "Islamophobia does not protect queer people".

"I feel like I can really express parts of myself and celebrate parts of myself that sometimes I'm marginalised for, or not so appreciated in different spaces," said Vinny, 42, whose real name is Saskia de Wildt, about being able to perform.

Following Saturday's usual Pride canal parade attended by Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, who is openly gay, the festivities are continuing for another week with Amsterdam hosting WorldPride this year.

C.Smith--CPN