Courtesy: British Swimming
Aberdeen Sports Village’s Aquatics Centre will play host to the opening event of the Citi Para Swimming World Series 2024 calendar, with Britain’s top athletes set to face off against their international rivals in the pool just six months ahead of the Paris Games at the Citi Para Swimming World Series inc. British Para-Swimming International Winter Meet in February.
The port city in northeast Scotland will welcome a crop of the world’s best para-swimmers to its shores across 1st-4th February 2024, with the four-day competition a key long-course racing opportunity for athletes building up towards the XVII Summer Paralympic Games.
This marks the second time the Citi Para Swimming World Series Great Britain will be hosted in Aberdeen, with the venue having successfully held the fixture in 2022. However with that previous edition unfortunately required to take place behind closed-doors, the Aquatics Centre looks forward this time to the addition of greeting supporters through the turnstiles to cheer on the action in the pool.
You can find out how to get your tickets for the event on the dedicated event page.
While many established names will populate the start list in Aberdeen as momentum builds towards Paris 2024, the incorporation of the British Para-Swimming Winter Meet within the event schedule paves the way for the next generation of athletes to compete in the same environment as their peers targeting success on the international stage.
Since its first iteration in 2017, the World Series itself has been a frequent breakout ground for British para-swimmers – none more so than for University of Aberdeen Performance Squad’s Faye Rogers who was crowned Emerging Athlete of the Year at British Swimming: The Awards 2023.
Securing a maiden World Series gold in the Women’s MC 100m Butterfly at Ponds Forge in March this year, Rogers – who trains at the Aberdeen Sports Village facilities – went on to claim the S10 world title and a pair of bronze medals at Manchester 2023 as part of a 38-medal haul the Great Britain team collected in front of a home crowd this summer at the Manchester 2023 Para Swimming World Championships.
Commenting on the news the meet was headed to Aberdeen, Rogers said: “I’m really excited to be starting 2024 racing at my home pool. To be able to race some of the best in the world at the pool I train in everyday is such a great opportunity.
“I’m looking forward to seeing where I’m at after a block of winter training, and using the event to build into another amazing year – hopefully building on everything I achieved last season.”
British Swimming Associate Performance Director Tim Jones said: “Great Britain has found strong value in annually hosting a stage of the World Series across the years, and a continuation of our strong relationship with World Para Swimming as we return to Aberdeen in February provides a crucial long-course racing test for our athletes ahead of selections for the Paralympics in early April.
“As we shift into the final phases of this shortened three-year Games cycle, it’s of great importance that we start this season with all of the momentum built up at the close of the last – continuing to embed world class behaviours in our basics to place us on the front foot for a being a successful team come Paris.”
Graham Morrison, Head of Sport and Events at Aberdeen Sports Village added: “I am delighted to welcome this event to Aberdeen, enhancing the reputation of the City and Aberdeen Sports Village as a venue of choice for swimming events.”
Further information and key dates for entry information, spectator tickets and classification will be published on the Citi Para Swimming World Series inc. British Para-Swimming Winter Meet events and tickets page.
More information around the World Series element of this event can be found on the World Para Swimming website.