Adidas European Short Course Swimming Championships



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The highest competition related prize money ever in swimming history has been paid out by LEN last weekend in a superlative swimming contest at Ponds Forge in Sheffield.

300.000 DM were distributed by LEN to those athletes and teams breaking World and European Records. On 13 occasions a new World Record was set, and 8 times the automatic officiating equipment provided by OMEGA registered a new European Record to the satisfaction of the public on the stands and on TV.

202 Media accreditation were issued, inclusive of 120 representatives of written, radio and TV media.

On the pan-European level, and in addition to EUROSPORT, 17 National public TV broadcasters (all members of the EBU) showed the Championships. The images that were excellently produced by the BBC were transmitted on the territory of BEL, CYP, GBR, GER, DEN, ESP, FIN, GRE, CRO, ISL, ITA, NED, POR, ROM, SWE, SLO and TUR. Before the final figures from all markets are official it has been roughly evaluated that these Championships have generated an accumulated audience of 40 million across the Continent over the three days of the Championships (not included into these provisional figures are highlights and insertions within news).

355 athletes from 34 countries took part and 63 competitors had to submit to doping control, so resulting in almost 20 % of all participants.

The final medals table included 22 nations, a new record high for European Championships, underlining once more the widespread success of swimming on the Continent.

The Media carried out a voting to select the best newcomer-rising star of the Championships. The Trophy and cash price of 5.000 SFn- each were awarded by adidas, title sponsor of these Championships, to Mrs.Flavia Rigamonti (SUI), born in 1981, and Orn Amarson (ISL), 17 year old Backstroke specialist and European Champion over the 200m distance.

LEN President Bartolo Consolo (ITA) said at the conclusion of the Event "Thanks to our athletes and their excellent attitude as well as to all those Media that have not missed out to come to Sheffield to cover these title contests our forecasts have become a reality. LEN has undoubtedly staged one of the best European sporting competitions of the year 1998. We will continue to work hard in making the next two year cycle as successful as possible for the aquatics in Europe".


The major televised LEN events of 1999 will take place as follows:

Arena EUROPEAN DIVING CUP

Vienna (AUT), 8-11 April 1999

Arena EUROPEAN WATER POLO "Final Four"

Becej (YUG), 4-5 June 1999

EUROPEAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Istanbul (TUR), 22 July - 1 August 1999

EUROPEAN WATER POLO CHAMPIONSHIPS

Florence (ITA), 2 - 11 September 1999

EUROPEAN SHORT COURSE SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Lisbon (POR), 9-12 December 1999

European Water Polo Championships Qualification Rounds selection of host cities.

The LEN Executives met during the Championships to allocate the sites and organising Federations of the Qualification tournaments (18-20 June 1999) to the European Water Polo Championships in September 1999. They are:

MEN: Group A

Play in Bucarest (ROM)

Romania

Croatia

Poland

Georgia

Group B

Play in Palma de Maliorca (ESP)

Spain

Ukraine

Slovenia

Israel

Group C

Play in Athens (GRE)

Greece

Germany

France

Moldova

Group D

Play in Venendaal (NED)

Netherlands

Slovakia

Tu rkey

Belarus

Already qualified are the teams of Italy (hosts), Hungary, Yugoslavia and Russia. The first two nations of each group will qualify to the final phase in September.

WOMEN: Group A

Play in Antibes (FRA)

France

Hungary

Yugoslavia

Czech Republic

Group B

Play in Athens (GRE)

Greece

Germany

Great Britain

Ukraine

Already qualified are the teams of Italy (hosts), Netherlands, Russia and Spain. The first two nations of each group will qualify to the final phase in September.

Rome / LEN-Office

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