In December, the world’s leaders in aquatic sports will gather in Hangzhou, China for the FINA World Aquatic Sports Convention. This conference occurs only once every two years at the host site of the FINA Short Course World Championships.
I attended the 2016 FINA World Aquatic Convention and Short Course World Championships in Windsor, Canada. You can read more about that experience here. It was an amazing opportunity to be a part of aquatics at the highest level and I’m excited to go to my second conference with 1,200 other attendees from around the world!
What is the FINA World Aquatic Convention?
The FINA convention provides a platform in which the global Aquatics family and business leaders come together to share best practice, encourage engagement in aquatic sports, and boost elite performance in all FINA disciplines.
The FINA World Aquatic Convention brings together the best from the world of Aquatics: 209 National Federations, Organizing Committees, Host Cities, athletes, coaches, and team doctors. It includes a 3-day exhibition; panel discussions; one-on-one interviews; Coaches Clinics; social activities; lunches; and dinners.
The three day conference features the Golden Coaches Clinic which is the highlight for most attendees. In line with the convention’s mission of supporting the growth of aquatic sports worldwide, the Golden Coaches clinic offers an incredible lineup of speakers who are leaders In the sport of swimming.
Golden Coaches Clinic
The highlight of the FINA World Aquatics Convention is the Golden Coaches Clinic which spans across all three days of the conference and the reason you should attend this year’s event!
Fresh from continued successes after the Olympic Games and World Championships, the highest-profile speakers in Aquatics are confirmed to speak including:
- Zhu Zheigen (CHN) – Sun Yang’s Coach
- Nigel Redman (GBR) – Head of Performance Team Development at British Swimming
- David Lush (AUS) – Emily Seebohm’s Coach
- John Atkinson (CAN) – High Performance Director
- Xu Guoyi (CHN) – Ye Shiwen’s Coach
- Miguel Angel López (ESP) – FINA Training Center Head Coach
You can checkout the full speaker lineup and schedule for the conference here.
The World Sports Medicine Conference also took place at the venue with cross-collaboration occurring with joint sessions among attendees. This international convention is an opportunity for coaches, athletes, and industry leaders to network and share ideas that will grow the sport!
Outcomes of Attending the FINA Convention
- Be introduced to innovations and new technologies that are allowing high performance achievement at the grassroots level and elite Aquatics events.
- To share and learn best practices in swimming education from the best swim coaches in the world.
- Networking with national, regional and local government representatives in the benefits of aquatic sports and how they may be used as tools for positive change.
- Supporting the growth of the global Aquatics industry.
FINA Convention Features
- International Exhibition Aquatics Conference
- FINA Swimming Golden Coaches Clinic
- Social Activities
- Unrivalled Aquatics Industry Networking
Convention delegates are also invited to attend the Opening Ceremony of the FINA Swimming World Championships (25m) which takes place 11-16 December, also in Hangzhou.
World Championships Opening Ceremony
The opening ceremony of the Short Course World Championships is a special event that showcases the culture of the hosting city in an electrifying way. In Windsor (2016), the ceremony I attended was amazing it was inspiring to be a part of such an international event.
FINA Convention Fast Facts
- 1,200 Delegates
- 400+ Organizations
- 300+ Head Coaches
- 209 National Federations
There are over 200 confirmed organizations attending this year’s FINA World Aquatics Convention in Hangzhou and this includes an awesome list of exhibitors.
I highly recommend attending this conference for the Golden Coaches Clinic and opportunity to network with the best coaches in the world and attend the FINA Short Course World Championships immediately after the conference.
You can register at the link below and if you have any questions about the conference, please reach out to me. I’m excited to attend my second conference and I look forward to seeing you there.
ATTEND FINA CONVENTION