EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: LEN OPENING CONFERENCE WITH OFFICIALS AND ATHLETES

In the ‘Red room’ of the CONI Swimming Pools the curtain has risen on the 36th edition of the European Aquatics Championships Roma 2022. The event, involving 47 nations, 1,500 athletes and coaches and hundreds of media operators, is coming back to Rome 39 years after the last European championships and 13 after the last world championships. The President of Roma 2022 Andrea Pieri said: “We are truly proud to host an event of this magnitude that once again highlights the extraordinary importance of our sport, both from a sporting and social perspective.”

These words are echoed by those of the new LEN president Antonio Silva, who besides commenting the numbers of the event and the novelties in the artistic swimming with the introduction at a European championships of the men's solo event, enthusiastically underlined the organisational efforts made to create beautiful and practical facilities with a high degree of visual and emotional impact.

Among the athletes who attended the LEN opening press conference there were the Italian swimmer Federico Burdisso, the Italian diver Chiara Pellacani, the Hungarian swimmer Katinka Hosszu and the Swedish swimmer Sarah Sjoestrom, who set personal and team goals and expressed great excitement to compete in one of the most beautiful pools in the world. Especially considering that they are competing outdoors again for the first time since 2010, making it particularly exciting for all athletes. The words of the Ukrainian artistic swimming athlete Marta Fiedina were particularly touching. She highlighted the great humanitarian contribution received in these difficult months from the various European federations, particularly the Italian one, which allowed her to continue training and be present at the event.

A touch of colour in every sense of the word: Sjoestrom again wears her hair dyed pink and Fiedina was wearing comfortable flip-flops in her country's colours.