The 2019 World Aquatics Championships were the 18th FINA World Aquatics Championships, held in Gwangju, South Korea from 12 to 28 July 2019. The city had previously hosted the 2015 Summer Universiade aquatics events in the same venues. (Gwangju, Budapest win right to host worlds); posted by Reuters on 19 July 2013.
Host selection The host was announced on 19 July 2013 on the biennial General Congress of FINA in Barcelona, the host-city of the 2013 World Aquatics Championships.Gwangju Wins Bid to Host 2019 Aquatics Championships Budapest was awarded the 2021 Championships in the same vote, though in 2015 it was announced that they will host the 2017 Championships due to Guadalajara's withdrawal. Fukuoka was subsequently awarded the 2021 event.
The awarding was controversial within Korea as the South Korean government claimed that the mayor of Gwangju had forged the signature of endorsement.FINA World Championships Bidding Scandal Creates Gwangju Money Woes As a result, the Korean government initially refused to fund the event, but eventually agreed upon passage of a law that required National Assembly approval for future bids for major sporting events.
Symbols The mascots for the event were a pair of otters, chosen due to their natural habitat being in the mountains near Gwangju, as well as their symbolizing "swimmers' passion for challenge", according to the organizing committee. The slogan of the Championships, meanwhile, was "Dive Into Peace".
Venues Most of the competitions were held at the Main Aquatics Centre, built for the 2015 Summer Universiade, also hosted in Gwangju.Our Plan posted by gwangju2019.com. Retrieved 19 July 2013. The Aquatics Centre hosted the swimming and diving competitions, and there were two adjacent outdoor temporary venues for synchronised swimming and water polo.
Nambu University Municipal Aquatics Center (swimming, diving) Nambu University Stadium (water polo) Yeomju Gymnasium (artistic swimming) Chosun University Football Field (high diving) Yeosu Expo Ocean Park (open water swimming)
Schedule A total of 76 medal events were held across six disciplines. Beach water polo was introduced as a demonstration, non-medal event.
●Opening ceremony●Other competitions●Finals●Closing ceremonyMMen's matchesWWomen's matches July1213141516171819202122232425262728TotalCeremonies ● ●- Swimming4455556842 Open water swimming1111127Artistic swimming●1121111210Diving●3221111213High diving●112 Water poloWMWMWMWMWMWMWM2 Beach water polo●WMWMWM2Total0544333444466567876Cumulative Total059131619222630343844505561687676
Medal table China topped the medal table, although the United States won the highest number of medals in total. Host nation South Korea earned one bronze medal, from Kim Su-ji in the Women's 1 m springboard.
Participating nations Out of 209 FINA members, 191 nations took part in the Championships, as well as a Refugee Team of independent FINA athletes. 194 teams initially entered, setting a new record number of participating nations. However, Lesotho and the United Arab Emirates subsequently withdrew their athletes and did not appear on the start list. FINA members not participating were Anguilla, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Guinea-Bissau, Gibraltar, Iraq, Lesotho, Liberia, Mauritania, Myanmar, North Korea, Somalia, Turks and Caicos Islands and United Arab Emirates. At the time of the Championships, the Nations of Kiribati, Nauru, South Sudan, São Tomé e Príncipe and Tuvalu were not FINA members.
Media coverage In the United States, NBCUniversal holds rights to the event.
References
External links Official website