FINA boasts record number of nations at Barcelona 2013

See press release here on FINA.org:

Barcelona 2013: new record of participation with 181 nations in Barcelona (ESP)

With only one day to go before the Opening Ceremony of the 15th FINA World Championships in Barcelona (ESP), taking place from July 19 to August 4, 2013 FINA is pleased to announce that a new record of participating nations will be established at this edition of FINA’s premier event. No less than 181 nations have registered for the World Championships, improving the previous record of 178 countries set at the last edition in Shanghai 2011.

In terms of athletes, the 15th FINA World Championships 2013, the first to include a High diving competition on the programme, will be attended by 2’293 (1’144 for Swimming, 231 for Diving, 21 for High Diving, 173 for Open Water, 416 for Water Polo and 308 for Synchonised Swimming).

During the 16-day competition, 40 finals will be held in Swimming (July 28-August 4), 10 in Diving (July 20-28), two in High Diving (July 29-31), seven in Synchronised Swimming (July 20-27), seven in Open Water Swimming (July 20-27) and two in Water Polo (July 20-August 3).

The venues of the 15th FINA World Championships 2013 are the Palau Sant Jordi (Swimming and Synchronised Swimming), the Piscina Municipal de Montjuic (Diving), the Piscines Bernat Picornell (Water Polo). The Open Water Swimming and High Diving events will be held at the Moll de la Fusta (Port of Barcelona).

The TV production of the Championships will be assured in High Definition by TVE and the images of the competition will be broadcasted in over 210 territories.

At a Press Conference for the 15th FINA World Championships in Barcelona, FINA President Dr. Julio C. Maglione said:

“It is a pleasure to be here in Barcelona once again, which hosted an extraordinary FINA World Championships in 2003. What is going to be a very important attraction at this edition and that is for the first time in the history of these Championships is High Diving. With this discipline on the programme, the FINA World Championships in Barcelona promise to be a great spectacle, held in outstanding and iconic venues.”

Xavier Trias, Mayor of Barcelona considered: “We are about to start these World Championships that we prepared with great excitement. We have established a challenge, our desire is to organise the best World Championships in history and the city of Barcelona has the capacity to make that possible for many reasons. We experienced that when we hosted the FINA World Championships in 2003 and once again Barcelona will shine as the world capital of sports and as a city of culture, knowledge, innovation and well-being.”