World Para-swimming Series kicks off in Melbourne

Swimming Australia, in partnership with Swimming Victoria, look forward to hosting the season-opener of the 2020 World Para-swimming World Series when it kicks off this Friday (14 February) at the Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre.

Held in conjunction with World Para-swimming and Paralympics Australia, the event marks not only the first meet of the international swimming season, but also the first time the Series has been held in a Paralympic year.

Running concurrently with the Victorian Open Short Course Championships on 14-16 February, the competition will see more than 100 world-class athletes from 15 different countries – including New Zealand, Brazil, the USA, Canada and Japan – compete for gold, silver and bronze medals.

Australia’s finest Para-swimmers, including recent world champions Tiffany Thomas Kane and Lakeisha Patterson, will battle it out against their national and international rivals for top spot on the podium.

Swimming Australia’s General Manager – Paralympic and Open Water Programs, Adam Pine, said the athletes needed to capitalise on every chance for race practice leading into the Paralympics.

“Our athletes have had their preparation plans for the Paralympics locked in for months, and this competition marks an important step on the calendar – it’s the first chance for them to race against strong international competition in 2020, so they need to take advantage of this opportunity,” Pine said.

“Hosting the first leg of the Series in our own backyard is such a positive coup for us. It also highlights the terrific facilities we have in this country.

“I’d like to thank Paralympics Australia for their additional investment and support, which has afforded many of our athletes the chance to access the international classification process, as well as Swimming Victoria who will run the event on the ground.”

Twenty-three events will be held across the three days of the Series, with heats starting at 0900 local time and finals contested from 1800.

Spanning five months from February to June, the seven-part World Series travels to seven countries across five continents.

By Swimming Australia
Posted: 12/02/2020