Manchester set to host World Para Swimming Championships in 2023

The Manchester Aquatics Centre is to host the Para Swimming World Championships for the first time in 2023.

It will be the third time the world championships will have taken place in the United Kingdom, following Glasgow in 2015 and London in 2019.

The 11th edition of the championships will take place at the home of the British Para-swimming National Performance Centre between 31 July and 6 August.

The Manchester 2023 event follows the rescheduled Madeira 2022 Worlds, set to take place in June this year. 

The 10th instalment of the Para Swimming World Championships were moved from 2021 to 2022 to avoid clashing with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which were delayed a year by the coronavirus pandemic.

Craig Nicholson, Head of World Para Swimming, said: “We are extremely happy to share the news that Manchester will host the 2023 World Championships. 

“The Manchester Aquatics Centre is a fantastic venue and the city’s tradition in hosting great sporting events speaks for itself. 

“We look forward to a remarkable event in a country with a true passion for Para swimming as we witnessed during Glasgow 2015 and London 2019.”

Paralympic silver medallist Grace Harvey trains at the British Para-swimming National Performance Centre, based at the Manchester Aquatics Centre – so it is no surprise that she is relishing the prospect of the 2023 World Championships.

“I’m incredibly excited that the 2023 Para Swimming World Championships are coming to Manchester,” she said.

“It’s my home pool, so it’ll just be great to have some really fast competition right before the 2024 Paralympics in Paris the following year.

Home advantage

“Having the competition in Manchester is really special.

“A lot of the British Para-Swimming athletes are based in Manchester, so it’ll be a great home advantage – and I know we actually love competing here whenever we get the chance to do that.”

Jack Buckner, British Swimming CEO, said: “I’m delighted that the UK once again can host the Championships and we look forward to welcoming everyone to Manchester. 

“London 2019 was fantastic, and I know that everybody involved will work tirelessly to ensure we deliver a spectacular event for athletes and fans alike again.

“The UK has a great track record of delivering world class sporting events, and I am confident that the Manchester 2023 Para Swimming World Championships will be no different, showcasing British athletes and those from around the world at the very pinnacle of their sport, as well as providing a platform for their inspirational stories.”

Councillor Luthfur Rahman OBE, Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council, added: “This is fantastic news for both swimming and the Para sport movement, and I’m delighted that Manchester has been chosen to host the championships. 

“We’re proud to be working with World Para Swimming, British Swimming and UK Sport to welcome some of the world’s top para-swimmers to our flagship Aquatics Centre.

“Manchester is a global leader when it comes to hosting sporting events and our innovative approach to staging competition combined with our passionate fans will ensure this is a fantastic edition of the world championships. 

“With recent para events being a huge success in the city, I am confident that the 2023 Para Swimming World Championships will be no different.”

Esther Britten, head of major events at UK Sport, said: “I am delighted that UK Sport and The National Lottery are able to support this event. 

“Our ambition over the next decade is to host major events which reach, inspire and unite the nation and I truly believe hosting this world championship will play an important role in helping us achieve this.”