FINA World Junior Swimming Championships start in Dubai

More than 750 of the planet's best young swimmers, representing 91 nations, today begin competition in the FINA World Junior Championships, at the Hamdan bin Mohammed Sports Complex in Dubai.

On Friday, Team Australia arrived in the United Arab Emirates from a training base in Doha, Qatar bringing with them the promising 14-year-old freestyler Shayna Jack and the 17-year-old distance swimmer Mack Horton.

Australia coach Michael Soctt said he expects his swimmers to gain valuable international race experience, perhaps with the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics in view, at these junior championships, which run from 26th to 31st August.

Scott explained "a number of these swimmers have already shown what they are capable of at a national and international level, with over half of this team representing Australia at the Trans-Tasman, Junior Pan Pacific or Australian Youth Olympic Festival in the past two years.

"This meet with be an important stepping stone for the swimmers looking to gain selection on to senior teams in the near future and the racing experience gained will benefit them as they move forward into the next stages of the journey towards Rio and beyond."

Jack is the youngest member of the Australia team, and she gained attention by placing fifth, behind four London 2012 Olympians, in the 50-metre freestyle at the Australian championships in May.

She will compete in freestyle races at 50, 100 and 200 metres.

Horton hopes to be the next great Australian distance swimmer. He recorded a sub-15-minute swim in the 1,500 metres freestyle in May, knocking five seconds off his personal best.

He will swim in four individual freestyle events, from 200 metre up, during the six-day meet.

The Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Sports Complex is the largest indoor sporting facility in the region.

With seating for 15,000, it boasts two 50-metre pools, both with moveable floors to allow conversion to the 25-metre pool used in any swimming events (long or short courses).

The pools are equipped with high-tech moveable floors and walls which enable it to be subdivided into a number of different configurations to maximise its flexibility.

In a city already full of superlatives, the building's striking architecture will ensure global recognition as a memorable and iconic facility in Dubai not only for Olympic Aquatics events but also as a truly world class multi-sports arena.

http://www.hamdansc.com