Dates announced for 2017 swimming, powerlifting Worlds

More than 900 athletes from 65 countries are expected for a nine-day long festival of Para sport in Mexico City. 07 Jul 2016
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2017 World Para Swimming and Para Powerlifting Championships will be held in Mexico City.

2017 World Para Swimming and Para Powerlifting Championships will be held in Mexico City.

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By IPC

“In just over one year’s time we will have the chance to see the world’s best athletes, riding high in the year after the Paralympic Games, go for coveted world titles.”

Mexico City will stage a nine-day long festival of Para sport between 30 September and 7 October, as the city stages the 2017 World Para swimming and Para powerlifting Championships.

The dates of the Championships were announced at a press conference on Thursday (7 July) at the start of the first official site visit for the events, which are expected to attract 900 athletes from 65 countries.

Ryan Montgomery, International Paralympic Committee Summer Sports Director, said: “In just over one year’s time we will have the chance to see the world’s best athletes, riding high in the year after the Paralympic Games, go for coveted world titles.

“Mexico City 2017 will combine one of the most popular Para sports, swimming, and one of the fastest growing, powerlifting, for the crowning of world champions in 172 medal events across the two sports.

“The action in the pool and on the bench will no doubt be helped by a fantastic atmosphere, and we are excited by the prospect of a truly unique Championships.”

Horacio de la Vega Flores, General Director of The Sports Institute of Mexico City, thanked the IPC for the confidence placed in the Institute to simultaneously carry out for the first time two world championships.

"The capital of sports does not want to stay behind in hosting high level Para sport events, it will be a great experience and it’s with great excitement that next year we will receive around 600 swimmers and 400 powerlifters from more than 60 countries.

De la Vega also emphasized México City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera´s desire to always offer inclusive sports and to raise awareness among the population of the importance of supporting these type of events.

The agenda for the site visit includes a full assessment of plans for accommodation, catering, protocol, sports presentation, broadcast, media, marketing and promotional activities, anti-doping, volunteering, and transport.

The delegation, which includes representatives from the National Sports Commission (CONADE) and the National Paralympic Committee (COPAME), will also visit the venues.

Both venues were used for the 1968 Olympic Games and are currently being upgraded.

The Francisco Marquez Olympic Swimming Pool will host 152 races whilst 20 powerlifting medal events will be contested at the Juan de la Barrera Olympic Gymnasium.

The pool and gymnasium are located in the same building, allowing fans and the media to easily move between the two to experience both events.