LEN has announced that Bucharest, Romania will host the 2022 European Junior Swimming Championships along with the 2023 European Short-Course Swimming Championships.
The meets will be hosted at the newly-opened Otopeni Olympic Swimming Complex, which is located approximately 15km from the center of Bucharest. The facility, which contains 6 pools, was opened to the public on May 14, 2021, making it one of the newest Olympic-sized pools in the world.
According to the Romanian Times, the facility contains:
- an Olympic swimming pool (25 x 51.25 m, with variable depth);
- an Olympic jumping pool (21 x 25 m, with variable depth 3.5-5 m);
- a training pool (15 x 25 m, with variable depth H = 1.36-1.81 m);
- an initiation and recovery basin (7 x 12 m, with a depth of 1.2 m);
- an initiation and recovery basin (6 x 12 m, with a depth of 1.2 m);
- a semi-circular initiation and recovery basin (5 x 9.80 m, 0.6 m deep).
In addition, the facility can hold up to 3,000 spectators in its dedicated seating area. For reference, the Tollcross International Swimming Centre, which hosted the 2019 edition of the European Short Course Championships, has a capacity of approximately 2,000 spectators.
“We are delighted to embrace this bid and to welcome a new host, especially because Romania has always been a strong player in European Aquatics” LEN President Paolo Barelli said. “It’s always great to see when a brand-new aquatic complex is constructed and it’s encouraging that the federation was immediately ready to announce its intentions to welcome the LEN Family in this magnificent facility.”
Romania has never hosted the European Short Course Championships, meaning that it will become the 19th different country to host the meet over its 25 editions, which span back to 1991. In addition, Romania has never hosted the European Junior Championships, making it the 25th country to host the event since it began in 1967.
Perfect place for Popovici to break the 100 free world record. At home. He’s still eligible for Euro junior championships next year.
Yes was thinking very timely announcement for one young Romanian. I do wonder if his success and coming of age recently has influenced the decision in some way but I also acknowledge that the new swim complex does sound amazing to showcase such an event as this too so maybe just coincidence.