The Para Swimming World Series will feature a new format with an expanded schedule in 2023.
After a truncated last couple of years amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, next year’s season will include nine stops across four continents, beginning in February and concluding in November.
🚨The world’s best Para swimmers will meet across the globe in 2023 in the new @Citi Para Swimming World Series 🌎✨
Next season to include nine Series across four continents from February to November starting in 🇦🇺Melbourne, Australia!#ParaSwimming @Paralympics @ParaSport
— #ParaSwimming (@Para_swimming) July 22, 2022
The series, which made its debut in 2017, will begin in Melbourne, Australia in February before heading to Italy, Great Britain, the United States, Singapore, Germany and France in the first half of the year.
There will then be a break to give athletes time to prepare and compete at the Para Swimming World Championships in Manchester, July 31-August 6, before returning for two final stops in Mexico and Greece in the back-half of 2023.
The 2022 season had six scheduled stops, including confirmed 2023 stops Melbourne, Lignano, Indianapolis, Berlin and Tijuana. The Great Britain leg shifts from Aberdeen to Sheffield, while Singapore, Limoges and Athens are new locations.
World Para Swimming also announced the 2024 schedule, which essentially mirrors that of 2023, though specific locations in Great Britain and Asia are still TBD.
Citi Para Swimming World Series 2023-2024 Tentative Calendar
| 2023 Dates | Hosts | 2024 Dates | Hosts |
| 17-19 Feb | Australia Melbourne |
16-18 Feb | Australia Melbourne |
| 9-12 Mar | Italy Lignano |
14-17 Mar | Italy Lignano |
| 16-19 Mar | Great Britain Sheffield |
TBC | Great Britain TBC |
| 20-22 Apr | USA Indianapolis |
18-22 Apr | USA Indianapolis |
| 5-7 May | Singapore Singapore |
3-5 May | Singapore Singapore |
| 11-14 May | Germany Berlin |
6-9 Jun | France Limoges |
| 26-28 May | France Limoges |
20-23 Jun | Germany Berlin |
| 5-8 Oct | Mexico Tijuana |
TBC Nov | Asia* TBC |
| 9-12 Nov | Greece* Athens |
21-24 Nov | Mexico Tijuana |
| 7-10 Dec | Greece* Athens |
*Hosts marked with an asterisk are subject to a signed Host Agreement.
“It is great to be able to announce the calendar for the 2023 and 2024 Citi Para Swimming World Series,” said Craig Nicholson, Head of World Para Swimming.
“We are proud to have Citi as the title partner of the new Series. It was a key objective for the sport to be able to communicate the calendar further in advance to allow teams and athletes more time to plan their programs through the seasons.”
The Para World Series was successful in its attempt to bring Para swimmers enhanced opportunities to race the best around the world, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of competitions over the last two years have been more regional-based due to travel issues. This new calendar should help the series get back to having consistent international racing for the athletes.
“I’m so excited to see the announcement of the Citi Para Swimming World Series calendar for 2023 and 2024,” said Elle Keane, an Irish Para swimmer. “The World Series events are an integral part of the Para swimming calendar.
“As an athlete they are a great opportunity for race practice and to compete against the best in the world. They provide important pit stops on the road to the Paralympic Games. I can’t wait to be back racing again at the World Series events.”