Aberdeen announced as venue for the 2020 LEN European Junior Championships

LEN, British Swimming, Scottish Swimming and Event Scotland are pleased to welcome the LEN European Junior Championships to Aberdeen in 2020.

The competition will see the continent’s best young swimmers and divers come to Aberdeen for the first time.

The 2020 event will be hosted at Aberdeen Sports Village’s Aquatics Centre, which opened in 2014 and boasts a 50m 10 lane competition pool with spectator seating for 500 and 25m six lane pool with full floating floor and full Olympic standard diving facilities, including springboards and platforms up to 10 metres, with spectator seating for 130.

The LEN European Junior Championships adds to the impressive line-up of International Swimming and Diving events hosted in Scotland, which has recently included, the Diving World Series, the Commonwealth Games and the IPC World Championships and going forward also includes the European Championships in 2018.

British Swimming Chief Executive David Sparkes said: “We are excited to welcome the LEN European Junior Championships to the UK. This event will no doubt be the biggest competition athletes of that age group will have competed at.

“Aberdeen Sports Village will provide everything the athletes could need and I know we will see some excellent performances throughout the competition.”

Jan Griffiths, Acting Chief Executive, Aberdeen Sports Village commented: “Aberdeen Sports Village is absolutely thrilled to have been awarded the hosting of the 2020 Championships.

“We are very much looking forward to working with our partners to deliver a world class event, and welcoming Europe’s top junior swimmers and divers to the City”

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “We are delighted to be hosting the European Junior Championships 2020 in Aberdeen. We look forward to welcoming the swimming stars of the future to compete in Scotland, the perfect stage for events such as this.”

Scottish Swimming Chief Executive Forbes Dunlop said: “Scottish Swimming are delighted that Aberdeen has been awarded the LEN European Junior Championships. Events on home soil allow our athletes, volunteers, members and supporters great opportunities to take part and watch our sport at an International level, which in turn motivates current members and attracts new members and supporters to our sport.”

University of Aberdeen Principal, Professor Sir Ian Diamond, welcomed the announcement saying: “I am absolutely delighted that Aberdeen Sports Village has been selected to host the 2020 European Junior Swimming and Diving Championships. We are very proud to be a partner in this huge success story for Aberdeen and north-east Scotland.

“This decision is testament to the international standard of Aberdeen Sports Village and in particular the Aquatics Centre, which was deliberately designed to attract international competition at this level, in addition to proving very popular with our students and the wider community.

“We look forward to working with our partners at Aberdeen Sports Village and Aberdeen City Council as we prepare to welcome competitors from across Europe to Aberdeen in 2020.”

Photo by Alan-Jamieson