LAUSANNE (SUI) – FINA’s showcase swimming-only event is heading to Melbourne as the 16th edition of the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) 2022 will take place from 13-18 December.

Coming as the capstone to a swimming season punctuated by world records set in the pool, look for the more than 1,000 athletes from over 180 countries to shine across 46 events over six event days as they compete for a USD 2.16 million prize purse.

Look for Melbourne to sparkle on the global stage as well. Australia’s longstanding success in swimming comes matched with Melbourne’s experience in hosting top-level events. This includes when city organisers hosted the 12th FINA World Championships in 2007 and five consecutive FINA Swimming World Cup editions from 2000-2004.

Both the morning sessions and evening finals will be broadcast live on free-to-air on the Nine Network nationally, and worldwide through FINA’s international broadcast partners.

Here is the FINA Event Accreditation Application Portal.

COMPETITION DETAILS

Image Source: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

The 16th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) forms part of the marquee events on the FINA international calendar, with the top swimming nations and athletes to attend.

There will be two sessions per day. Morning heats will start at 11:00 am with evening finals from 7:30 pm – 10:00/10:30 pm

The events will be held in Melbourne, Australia, with the following schedule:

  • Tuesday, 13 December 2022: Opening Ceremony
  • Tuesday, 13 – Sunday, 18 December 2022: Competition
  • Sunday, 18 December 2022: Closing Ceremony

When published, the full day-by-day event schedule will be found here.

THE VENUE

Image Source: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Melbourne will add to its legacy as one of the world’s sporting capitals by hosting the 16th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m).

 With the Australian summer in full swing in December, the outdoor pool at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre will provide the field of play – the same state-of-the-art venue that hosted both the 12th FINA World Championships and the aquatic events for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Situated on the spacious parklands of Albert Park and located just three kilometres from Melbourne’s city centre, the venue is where the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix takes place.

FINA and Swimming Australia, in partnership with the Victorian Government, will bring to life the event with Albert Park part of an Aboriginal cultural landscape and the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC) one of the largest athletic centres in the southern hemisphere.

Spectators, teams and media alike will enjoy stunning views of the city skyline, with the roof over the pool providing those present with the benefits of outdoor competition in Australian summer while also providing protection from the weather.

 

MEDIA TRANSPORTATION & ACCOMMODATION

With the abundance of accommodation available within the Albert Park and city precincts, satisfying all price points, there will be no dedicated media hotels, with media free to source and book their own accommodation.

Melbourne’s famous tram network, with stops adjacent to the venue, is the most convenient mode of transport, with taxis and Ubers also available.  Parking will also be available at or close to the venue for accredited media (cost to be confirmed).

If assistance is required with sourcing and booking accommodation, please contact fina@stageandscreen.com.au

MEDIA SERVICES

Image Source: The Melbourne 2022 local organisers look to welcome athletes, fans and media to the short-course world championships (Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Media Workroom

A dedicated hybrid media workroom will be conveniently located off the pool deck on the ground floor of the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. It will provide accredited media, RHBs, press and photographers, with direct access to commentary positions, press tribunes, the mixed zone, and the field of play for photographers.

The media workroom will open one hour prior to the start of the morning session and will close two hours post competition for the evening session. No need to hurry back and forth between the venue and one’s accommodation as the media workroom will remain open between sessions.  Tables will provide a mix of cabled internet and dedicated venue-wide media Wi-Fi, free of charge.  Any official press conferences will also be held in the media workroom.

MEDIA SPACES 

Press tribunes will be available in the main grandstand offering a perfect line of sight to the start/finish end and will be outfitted with power (Australian plugs) and a dedicated media Wi-Fi.  There will be easy access to the mixed zones and media workroom from within the venue.

Commentary positions will be available in the main grandstand offering a perfect line of sight to the start/finished end. They are bookable through the rate card. They will be outfitted with power (Australian plugs), cabled internet and media Wi-Fi, monitors and perspex dividers. 

Mixed Zone: Athletes will exit the field of play via the mixed zone which will start with a bookable MZ 1 for RHBs located on the pool deck.  MZ 2 for ENGs and MZ 3 for the press is located directly as athletes enter the inside of the facility. The mixed zone is ideally located for the media to be able to move freely from the tribune to the mixed zone and back with ease.

Photo Positions will be made available on the pool deck and in kill seats on both sides of the grandstands.  Pool photographers will be able to roam the field of play. 

MEDIA ACCREDITATION

The media accreditation application opened on 27 September. International media needing to apply for a visa to travel to Australia are encouraged to apply no later than mid-November to ensure enough time for the visa process.  

News Access Rules will be provided at the time accreditation opens, with Channel 9 Australian broadcaster. 

Here is the FINA Event Accreditation Application Portal.

ENTRY VISAS

Media Accreditation to the 16th FINA World Swimming Championships Melbourne 2022 will not function as a visa and will not authorise entry into Australia. Each media representative will be responsible for ensuring that they have the travel document required for entry.

The Melbourne 2022 local organising committee will provide approved accredited media with a visa invitation letter through GMS to support their visa application process if required. 

To apply for a visa to Australia, if required, click the following link.

OFFICIAL BRIEFINGS

The official Accredited Media briefing for the written and digital press will be held on 12 December at the Media Workroom, with the time determined later.

The official Accredited Media briefing for photographers will be held on 12 December at the Media Workroom, with the time determined later.

MEDIA CONTACTS

For event media enquiries, please contact:

FINA Media Manager

Torin Koos

torin.koos@fina.org

T: +41 21 310 47 10

 

Media Manager - FINA World Swimming Championships (25m)

Lauren Ryan

lauren.ryan@btbconsulting.com.au

M: +61 402 162 807

 

Host Broadcaster

Ben Madwick, Gravity Media

ben.madgwick@gravitymedia.com

T: +61 2 9313 3100

 

Swimming Australia

Anthony Edgar

anthony.edgar@swimming.com.au

M: +61 432 57 8883