Gwangju 2019 hits key milestones towards its preparations for the next FINA World Championships
Hangzhou, China; December 18th, 2018 – With the 2018 FINA World Championships (25m) coming to an end, Mr. Yong-sup Lee, Mayor of Gwangju City and President of the Gwangju 2019 Organising Committee and Dr. CHO Youngteck, Secretary General and Vice President of the Gwangju 2019 Organising Committee, were invited to give a press-conference on-site during which they shared with the Aquatics Family the many milestones achieved and positive updates on future projects related to the 2019 FINA World Championships.
With less than eight months to go, the preparations for the 2019 FINA World Championships are in full swing, on track and on budget. Already, Gwangju 2019 has hit many milestones including the establishment of important partnerships with leading Korean companies, the organisation of an International Media Day in February and the hosting of the World Broadcasting Meeting in November.
Moving forward, big initiatives will be launched in the coming weeks, including the launch of ticket sales and opening registration for both the Championships and the Masters Championships. The online gift shop and media accreditation system will also be available online shortly.
Mr. Yong-sup LEE, Mayor of Gwangju City said: “As we wrap up the last day of the Swimming World Championships, I would like to congratulate FINA and the City of Hangzhou on an excellent event. At the 2019 FINA World Championships in Gwangju, we are working very hard to make next year’s event a success and we hope that our friends at FINA and in the media continue to help us spread the goodness and charm of Gwangju. On behalf of the city of Gwangju and its citizens, we look forward to welcoming the world next summer.”
Already many National Federations have come to visit Gwangju to check on the facilities and make preparations ahead of the Championships. The positive feedback received is a strong motivation for Gwangju 2019 to keep working hard and deliver an event that exceeds all expectations.
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Youngsuk CHOI
About FINA World Championships
The 2019 FINA World Championships in Gwangju will be the 18th in the history of the event. Gwangju will be the third Asian host in history, following Fukuoka, Japan, in 2001 and Shanghai, China, in 2011.
Belgrade, the Serbian capital, held the first competition in 1973 in the-then Yugoslavia, and the Championships have been conducted in the odd years since the 9th Championships in Fukuoka in 2001.
Since the 2015 Kazan World Championships, competitions for active professional swimmers have been held along with the Masters Championships.
The FINA World Championships have established themselves as the most prestigious events supported by FINA, with world-class cities competitively bidding for the rights to host.
Such prestige is demonstrated by the outstanding cities that have held FINA World Championships in the past 10 years. For example, Melbourne, Australia (2007), Rome, Italy (2009), Shanghai, China 2011) and Barcelona, Spain (2003 and 2013) have all recently organised FINA World Championships.
Gwangju, Korea, has been named as the next host of the FINA World Championships in 2019. The moto of the 18th edition ‘Dive into Peace’, shows Gwangju’s engagement in creating a unifying Championships that promotes positive values across the world.
About Gwangju
Located in the South West of Korea, and easily-accessible from the capital city of Seoul, Gwangju has a population of approximately 1.5 million people.
Built upon a 1,000 year history and tradition, Gwangju is known for as a hub for Asian culture. It combines peaceful, natural beauty with the energy and buzz of the city centre, aiming to cater for all types of visitors.
Gwangju is the city of democracy, human rights and peace. The city has long acted like a beacon of light consolidating peace and democracy in Korea.
Having SAMSUNG, KIA Motors and Korea Electric Power Corporation, Gwangju is also a leading city in the 4th industrial revolution focusing its strength on smart city soutions and electric vehicles.