100 day countdown to short course swimming championships in Glasgow

The race to the LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019, which comes to Glasgow later this year, is well and truly on with now only 100 days to go.

Some of the world’s leading athletes will descend on Glasgow’s Tollcross International Swimming Centre between 4 – 8 December when the Championships comes to the iconic city as it celebrates the 20^th year of the event.

Spectators will watch as European Champions are crowned over five action-packed days in Glasgow as some of Europe’s finest swimmers compete in 40 short course events. Medals for events such as the Women’s 50m Breaststroke and Men’s 400m Freestyle will be up for grabs on day one. Meanwhile, the Men’s 200m Freestyle and Women’s 100m Backstroke will be among the highlights on day two, with both the Men’s 50m and Women’s 100m Freestyle Finals on day three. Into the weekend and swimmers will be chasing medals on the penultimate day in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke Final and Women’s 200m Freestyle Final, with the Men’s 100m Freestyle Final and Women’s 200m Individual Medley being the highlights across a very exciting final day. 

It’s not every day two Olympians drop by unexpectedly to a school swimming class, however, the Scottish duo, Hannah Miley and Ross Murdoch were both in attendance at Glasgow Club Castlemilk Pool to surprise a local swimming club with a unique swimming class to celebrate the major ‘100 days to go’ campaign milestone.

Swimmers from St. Bridgid’s Primary School were invited to a unique training session at one of Glasgow’s finest swimming facilities and were shocked when they were joined by two Olympic swimmers. Miley and Murdoch spent the morning engaging with the young swimmers and giving advice to the next generation of Scottish swimmers, and the primary 5-7 pupils were left feeling inspired by this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Hannah Miley is one of Scotland’s most decorated female swimmers of all time, with a number of medals on the World and European stage, as well as four Commonwealth Games medals, including a gold which was won back in 2014 in Glasgow. As the Official Ambassador of the LEN European Short Course Championships 2019, Hannah spoke following the surprise moment.

She said: “It’s wonderful to be able to surprise these young kids and it was awesome to see how excited they are about another fantastic event coming to Glasgow. With 100 days to go it is another opportunity for Glasgow to welcome world class swimmers like they did at the Commonwealth and European Games. Hopefully we will inspire the next generation of swimmers, who may one day take part in an event like this.”

Olympian and double Commonwealth Games medallist, Ross Murdoch, fresh off the back of the World Championships in China says he is “working harder than ever” during training to make sure 2019 is a year to remember, and to ensure he is in the mix for Tokyo 2020. Ross will be aiming to gain selection to emulate the fantastic scenes from Glasgow 2014 at the LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 and will be determined to clinch another medal on home soil. The Star Wars fan will be hoping the force is with him later this year and as he continues to count down the days until December.

Ross said: “With 100 days to go the countdown to the LEN European Short Course Championships really is on. Tollcross holds some very special memories for me and it’s been great to share my experiences with these kids here at Castlemilk. I not only hope to inspire them to come to the event and cheer on the British Team, but perhaps inspire them to believe that one day they may be swimming at such an event.”

The city of Glasgow welcomes the Championships for the first time as it continues to build its reputation as a truly world class sporting city. The competition will be the third major European event held in Glasgow within twelve months after a hugely successful inaugural European Championships, and a sold-out European Athletics Indoor Championships earlier this year in the Emirates Arena. Glasgow continues to receive global recognition for this reputation with a coveted top five ranking as an ultimate sporting city.

Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events, said: “The excitement is well and truly building for the 20th edition of the LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships 2019 as we hit the 100 days to go mark.

“Tollcross International Swimming Centre is the perfect stage for the Championships, building on the legacy of previous international events including Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships and the Glasgow 2018 European Championships.

“With five days of fast-paced swimming action the Championships will also bookend an exciting year of international sporting events that have showcased Scotland to the world and reinforced our reputation as a world leading events destination.”

Billy Garrett, Director of Sport and Events at Glasgow Life and Co-Chair of the Glasgow 2019 Steering Committee, said: “With only 100 days to go until the LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships here in Glasgow this December, it’s fantastic to have Hannah and Ross – both elite Scottish athletes – here with us today to help us celebrate.

“Our city has proved time and time again that we can deliver world-class events for both athletes and those attending, and these Championships will be no different. The excitement level is building in the city and tickets are selling fast for the event. I can’t wait to be there at a packed-out Tollcross International Swimming Centre watching some of the best athletes in Europe!”

British Swimming’s Chief Executive Officer, Jack Bucker, commented: “As the closing event of 2019, the European Short Course Swimming Championships are set to cap what has truly been a fantastic year of showcasing aquatic disciplines across the UK.

The Tollcross International Swimming Centre in Glasgow has provided many memorable moments for our swimmers in recent times, and as the final countdown begins, we are all looking forward to returning to the venues electric atmosphere and seeing some strong performance as we sit on the eve of an Olympic year.

Scottish Swimming’s Chief Executive Officer, Euan Lowe, said: “With now only 100 days to go until the LEN European Short Course Swimming Championships, the excitement is building. Scotland is the perfect stage for hosting the 20^th edition of the Championships and we look forward to welcoming Europe’s finest swimmers back to Tollcross in December following the success of last summer’s European Championships.”

Short course swimming is a fast-paced event and is guaranteed to have crowds energised from start to finish. Races are competed in a 25m pool, requiring swimmers to complete more turns, so crowds will see competitive, adrenaline-fueled races – setting up this event as one of the most exciting of the year.

Tickets for the event are on sale now with the championships set to be a cornerstone event in Scotland’s 2019 sporting calendar.

www.euroswim2019.com