Hangzhou to host 2018 FINA World Swimming Championships (25m)

The Chinese city of Hangzhou will host the 2018 edition of the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) and the FINA World Aquatics Convention, after the vote of the FINA Bureau on December 2, 2014 in Doha (QAT). Two other candidates were bidding for the 14th edition of these Championships, Lima (PER) and UAE. The award of this competition was done one day prior to the start of the 2014 FINA World Swimming Championships (25m), to be staged in the Qatari capital, from December 3-7.

Acting as Ambassador for the successful bid, Chinese star Xuejuan Luo, 2004 Olympic gold medallist in the 100m breaststroke, was one of the “voices” of the candidate city during the briefing to the Bureau members. Naturally satisfied after the announcement, Luo confessed: “This is a dream that come true. My hometown is Hangzhou and I always hoped that one day we could be able to organise a world championships in the most beautiful city in China”, she declared. “The Mayor of Hangzhou was also here to support our bid, and we can assure that the best swimmers in the world will be able to complete in superb venues”, she added. 

Before the 2018 rendezvous, the 13th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) will take place in December 2016 in Windsor (CAN). 

For the current game which is beginning later today in Doha, Chinese double Olympic champion Sun Yang will miss it. 

Sun Yang, who failed a doping test in May, has been cleared to compete after serving a three months competition ban. However, the five-time world champion, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Monday, said he will focus on his winter training instead. Meantime, London Olympic champion Ye Shiwen will also skip the championships, with no specific reasons cited.