Australia’s Tokyo Stars In Adelaide Splashdown To Kick Start Swimming’s Busy International Year
Australia’s Tokyo swim stars will once again splashdown in Adelaide’s SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre next April for the 2022 Australian Open and Age Swimming Championships – to christen the start of what will be swimming’s busiest international year on record.
Australia’s multi-medal winning Olympic and Paralympians will converge on the SA capital for the Open Championships from April 4-9, followed by the Age Championships which are scheduled for April 11-18.
SHOW PIECE: Meg Harris enjoys the gold medal moment in Tokyo with team mates Bronte Campbell and Emma McKeon (obscured). Harris will be one of the stars of the show in Adelaide next April. Photo Courtesy: Robert Hanashiro — USA Today Sports
Swimming Australia made the announcement poolside in SA today, along with the State Government Minister Corey Wingard and Tokyo medallists Meg Harris and Isabella Vincent two rising international stars who will both contest next year’s championships.
Queensland’s Harris was a member of Australia’s all-conquering Olympic gold medal winning 4x100m freestyle relay team in Tokyo alongside the sisters of speed Cate Campbell and Bronte Campbell and Australia’s most successful ever Olympian Emma McKeon.
While Vincent, from the Norwood club in SA and the baby of the Paralympic team at 15, returned home with relay silver and bronze medals in Australia’s 4x00m freestyle and medley teams respectively.
It is another major coup for South Australia, completing the big three for SA, following the announcement that Australian Open Water Championships will return to Brighton Beach in 2020, after a year off, with competition to run from January 28-30.
All three meets will act as the major selection trials for a 2022 that will be an international year like no other with the:
- 19th Fina World Aquatics Championships to be held in Fukuoka (JPN) from May 13-19 and a 21st birthday celebration of the city’s 2001 World Championships, which saw Australia top the medal tally for the first time.
- World Para Swimming Championships which is set down for Funchal (POR) from June 12-18.
- Postponed World University Games (Universiade) now locked in for Chengdu (CHN) from June 26-July 7.
- Twenty-second (XXII) Commonwealth Games in Birmingham (ENG) from July 28-August 8 and;
- The postponed 8th Fina World Junior Swimming Championships in Kazan (RUS) from August 22-28.
BABY BLOOMER: SA’s baby of the Tokyo Para Swim Team Isabella Vincent (wheelchair) and her 4x100m freestyle relay team mates Ellie Cole, Emily Beecroft and Ashleigh McConnell (in the pool). Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr (Swimming Australia).
Swimming Australia’s interim CEO, Eugenie Buckley, said she was delighted to confirm the South Australian location and looked forward to seeing the championships return to Adelaide.
“We’re extremely pleased our sport will return to South Australia and be showcased at the impressive SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre,” Buckley said.
“We’re incredibly grateful and appreciative for the support provided by the South Australian Government and South Australian Tourism Commission who continue to invest in our sport, and thank them for hosting us again. It’s clear this relationship is incredibly strong and continues to prosper year after year.
“We’d also like to thank Swimming SA and the team at the SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre for their ongoing support, their assistance to get our events up and running is invaluable.”
Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing, Corey Wingard, welcomed the return of high-performance swimming to South Australia.
CENTRE STAGE: Olympic gold medallist Meg Harris (with microphone) and Paralympic silver medallist Isabella Vincent with SA Aquatic and Leisure centre boss Adam Luscombe (at podium) and SA Sports Minister Corey Wingard at today’s launch. Photo Courtesy: Swimming Australia.
“On the back of Adelaide having hosted the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic trials earlier this year, it is a huge coup for our State to host both the Australian Swimming Championships and Australian Age Swimming Championships in 2022,” Minister Wingard said.
“While we can’t wait to see our South Australian swimmers…….take to the pool to compete for international selection, we also look forward to welcoming the thousands of competitors, families, coaches and supporters who will travel from across the country to take part in these events.
“Hosting these events puts Adelaide and South Australia on the map and thanks to the Marshall Government’s more than $400 million investment in sport since 2018 continues to position us as a premiere sporting destination.”
For more information visit Swimming Australia’s event page.
Selection criteria for all teams are in the process of being finalised and will be updated here when complete.
SA TALENT POOL: Next generation SA swimmers pictured with Isabella Vincent (let) and Meg Harris. Photo Courtesy: Swimming Australia.