Kazan and Guadalajara to Host Next Two FINA World Championships
July 18, 2011
The Russian city of Kazan and Mexico’s Guadalajara have been confirmed as the hosts of future editions of swimming’s FINA World Championships, the biggest event on the sport’s international calendar.
Kazan will stage the 2015 Championships while Guadalajara secured the rights to the 2017 event, with Hong Kong edged out in the bidding.
This year’s FINA World Championships started on Saturday in Shanghai, China, while the 2013 will take place in the Spanish city of Barcelona.
Kazan bid team communications director Irina Shadrina said: “It’s really great for our city. We have Moscow and St Petersburg but nobody knows about the other cities and now we want to be the sports capital in our country. The aim is to make Russian people to be healthier, to build more swimming pools for children.”
Kazan will host the Championships a year after Sochi will bring the 2014 Winter Olympics to Russia.
Mexican Swimming Federation president Kiril Todorov said winning the 2017 hosting rights was a “dream come true” and added: “It is time to move to the next level (with) the opportunity to hold the crown jewel of our sport in one of the most beautiful cities in Latin America.”
Mexico Sports Minister Bernardo De La Garza said: “We are extremely proud to have been awarded this event and, most of all, to have earned the trust of FINA bureau members. We are eager to start and look forward to welcoming the world to Guadalajara in 2017.”
