Swimming Championships thrill as international event
Coventry played host to the British Junior Para Swimming Championships that saw more than one hundred young para-swimmers take part in two days of racing.
This year’s Championships saw swimmers from outside the UK join those competing from the home nations. The event, a well-established part of the nation’s swimming pathway for young disabled people, was delivered by Activity Alliance in partnership with Swim England.
It plays a crucial role in creating more opportunities in sport and activity for disabled people. Over the years more than 5,000 talented young disabled people have taken part in the junior swimming programme.
Carlos, 17, swam as part of a Spanish contingent. He described enjoying the opportunity to compete in England:
"It’s been a really nice experience and I am thrilled to have been able to swim here. I would love to come back.
"It’s been different, normally we compete within our own country and we know everyone, but it’s been interesting to compete in a different country meet other swimmers and see how they swim."
His coach, who led a team of 9 swimmers, said he was pleased that they had the opportunity to swim abroad:
"It means a lot, it’s the pinnacle of their training up until now, and it’s a highlight of their season. An event like this allows them to compete against athletes with the same classification on an international stage."
A team of dedicated volunteers and swimming officials oversaw the successful event. Activity Alliance would like to thank all those volunteers as well as Swim England, CV Life and City of Coventry Swimming Club for their support.
