A record of 48 nations entered for the upcoming edition of the European Junior Swimming Championships in Rome. After the lost season in 2020, everyone is keen to send its best young competitors to test themselves at LEN’s top age-group event.
The magnificent Foro Italico, site of
the 2009 World Championships and the annual Sette Colli meet, will host another
brilliant event next week: the European Junior Swimming Championships return to
the Eternal City and its eternal aquatic complex after 1987.
A participation record is in sight as
48 nations – out of the 52 LEN Member Federations – entered the event and 566
teenaged athletes are to line up for the races on 6-11 July.
LEN and its officials now have plenty
of experience on how to run major aquatic events in a safe environment so even
the different pandemic situations across Europe should not influence the meet
in Rome – though the bubble concept shall be in place for all participants with
restricted move and regular testing.
“The success of the European Aquatics
Championships this May in Budapest was a clear demonstration that it is
possible to organise a Covid-free competition during the pandemic even with
several thousand people inside the so called bubble” LEN President Paolo
Barelli said before the start. “It was inevitable that LEN would give back the
chance for our age-group athletes to show themselves at our continental showcases.
In 2020, we had to cancel all events, which was sad news for all young
competitors – and it would have been terrible to do the same for 2021. It might
have meant that a generation of talented swimmers should begin their respective
senior careers without competing at junior European Championships.”
Mr Barelli emphasised that Europe was
the No. 1 continent in aquatics and the roots of its success lied in the unique
competition environment LEN and its National Federations had run for decades.
“We are the only continent where
junior championships are held annually in each discipline – that gives our
young athletes an outstanding advantage during their formative years, and we
want to keep that edge on the long-term” the LEN President added.
In last 8 editions, Russia was the
ruling nation in this event, finished atop in the medal charts every year since
2012. Though their dominance wasn’t as overwhelming in recent years as it had
been between 2013 and 2015 (back then they amassed 19-23 titles per meet),
still, their talented swimmers achieved outstanding results in Kazan 2019,
Helsinki 2018 and Netanya 2017 as well.
This time Italy may challenge them at
home soil as their juniors were usually ranked among the top three and Germany
showed some strength as well. Since the junior Worlds were postponed to 2022
from this August, the best youngsters from Europe should offer their top form
next week which well could make way to a series of outstanding swims in the
gorgeous sunshine in Rome.
Another junior event has already
kicked off: the men’s U15 water polo Europeans started on Sunday in Loule
(POR).
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