Aquatics Championships stars look towards Glasgow 2018

The Glasgow 2018 European Championships take place in August next year.

Images by Deep Blue Media

The stars of Great Britain’s World Aquatics Championships squad have opened up about next year’s European Championships in Glasgow. Glasgow 2018 will feature four aquatic disciplines; swimming, diving, synchronised swimming and open water swimming. Together they form one of six sports taking place at various venues across Scotland, joined by cycling, golf, gymnastics, rowing and triathlon.

Forming part of the European Championships, which also sees German capital Berlin host the athletics events, it marks the first time since the inaugural year of 1926 that the championships take place in Scotland. Over 1000 athletes will compete in the European Aquatics Championships, with the UK celebrating a remarkable performance at the London 2016 event. There they topped the medal table, winning 10 gold medals across the events.

Three of the stars of this year’s World Aquatics Championships, which took place in Budapest last month, have given their thoughts on Glasgow 2018, and on why home support is so important.

Duncan Scott

“Having next year’s Europeans in Glasgow is really exciting.

“It would be a dream to compete in my home town again for such a big event, especially after the Commonwealth Games. I was born there so if I was able to compete there I am sure I will have lots of support.

“Hopefully the public can all get behind the event and make it a great success – I know Scotland will put on a good show.”

Hannah Miley

“I think having the European Championships on home soil will be brilliant. The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow is still a very strong memory for me and that will never, ever leave me.

“It’s not often, as athletes, that you get a major championship with a home crowd, and it really does make all the difference.

“It can be the difference between fourth-place and a medal spot. You raise your game when you’ve got a home crowd behind you.”

James Guy

“Glasgow’s a great place. It was my first Commonwealth Games there and I’ve had numerous trials there. The pool is fast and it’s our target meet for that summer.

“I want to be on song for it. I’ll be 22, young and fit and ready to go and racing as fast as I can.

“It’s going to be interesting being part of a wider European Championships, the first one of them. It’s something new and exciting and I’m looking forward to it.

“Having other sports around definitely adds to the feel and my memories from an event.”

Tickets for the European Championships Glasgow 2018 are available now, with various sessions across aquatics, gymnastics, golf, rowing and triathlon.

For more details, and to grab tickets now, head to Ticketmaster.co.uk.