Sport

Watch: Irish swimmers delighted to be hosting Para Championships

‘To think that we will have the chance to show the public just what we have dedicated our lives to is so very special’

The 2018 Para Swimming European Championships will take place at the National Aquatic Centre next summer. Video: Paralympics Ireland
Thu Jul 13 2017 - 11:09

The 2018 Para Swimming European Championships will take place at the National Aquatic Centre next summer.

The event will attract many of the world’s leading swimmers, with over 500 athletes from 40 countries set to descend on the capital for seven days of competition, from August 13th to 19th.

This is the very first time such a prestigious Para sport event, which is governed by World Para Swimming, will come to Ireland.

Paralympics Ireland have commissioned a video to celebrate the Championships, which includes three time Paralympian and bronze medallist from the Rio Paralympic Games, 22-year old Ellen Keane. Watch it here.

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“To think that we will have the chance to show our families, friends and the public just what we have dedicated our lives to is so very special,” she says. “Representing Ireland on the international stage is a tremendous honour and to do so in front of a home crowd is what we all dream of.

“We are so excited to showcase elite Para sport to the country and provide this platform to grow the sport of Para swimming in Ireland, and hopefully build a precious legacy towards Tokyo and beyond.”

While president of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Philip Craven said: "This Championships will be the largest Para sport event ever to held in Ireland and I am confident that with multiple Paralympic, world and defending European champions in action, the public will be treated to the very best of what Para swimming has to offer."

Chief executive of Paralympics Ireland and chairperson of the organising committee Miriam Malone also added: “We firmly believe true understanding and appreciation of the elite athletic nature of Paralympic athletes can only realised by witnessing the sports live.

“Irish Paralympic athletes have been competing and achieving consistently all over world for many years. We are incredibly excited and extremely proud that now we can bring them home and provide the opportunity for a supportive Irish public to see for themselves their talent and that of their European counterparts.”