For the fourth year in a row Great Britain will host a leg of the World Para Swimming World Series in 2020, as the world’s best para-swimmers build towards the Paralympic Games.
A host nation since the series inception back in 2017, the British Para-Swimming International Meet, which incorporates a leg of the World Para Swimming World Series, will return to Ponds Forge in Sheffield, after Glasgow hosted the 2019 edition.
Taking place from the 9-12th April 2020, the meet will bring together some of the world’s most decorated para-swimming stars, as the WPS World Series offers athletes the chance to compete in a dedicated circuit each year, which is increasingly important in the lead up to the Tokyo Paralympic Games.
In 2019, the World Series saw over 1300 athletes from 84 countries take part, with 33 of these nations competing at the Great Britain leg in Glasgow. More recently, London stepped in as hosts of the IPC World Para Swimming Allianz Championships, which were a resounding success and further builds on the UK’s reputation as one of the leading para-sport hosts in the world.
Of the news, British Para-Swimming Performance Director, Chris Furber, commented:
“The British Para-Swimming International Meet is one of our primary focuses between now and the Paralympic Games, so it is fantastic that this will once again incorporate a leg of the World Series. Having world class, head-to-head racing opportunities is key for our swimmers as they look to firstly secure their place on the team, and then perform when it matters in Tokyo. We look forward to welcoming international para-swimmers from around the world to Sheffield once again.”
The full 2020 WPS World Series calendar:
- Melbourne, Australia: 14-16th February
- Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy: 27th February – 1st March
- Sao Paulo, Brazil: 26-28th March
- Sheffield, Great Britain: 9-12th April
- Indianapolis, USA: 16-18th April
- Singapore: 1-3rd May
- Berlin, Germany: 18-21st June
Tickets for the event will be on sale in due course. Sign up to the British Swimming newsletter to be the first to hear.
Further information on the series, including classification opportunities can be found at www.paralympic.org/swimming