By Nick Hope
Aquatics Correspondent
Paris 2024 generated “amazing excitement and enthusiasm” which has created an “excellent opportunity” for growth.
Those were the thoughts of European Aquatics President Antonio Silva after attending the Olympic and Paralympic Games, hosted in the French capital this summer.
In addition to supporting the continent’s best aquatic athletes, at the stunning La Défense Arena and new Olympic Aquatic Centre, Silva also used the opportunity to meet with key figures from across the aquatic community.
Strengthening existing, but also establishing new relationships, with those keen to progress the aquatic movement is a key part of Silva’s agenda during his second term in office, as are enhancing the impact of the newly established Aquatics Social Responsibility (ASR) charter.
Among those Silva met with this week was Head of World Para Swimming Craig Nicholson, who has successfully overseen the execution of one of the biggest sports programmes at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
“We share a common goal to grow swimming participation not only for elite competition, but also participation and to help reduce drowning rates,” Silva told European Aquatics.
“We have defined several priorities around learning to swim as well as education and development with officials, coaches, athletes, staff and managers from national federations.”
In a statement World Para Swimming said they had “positive conversations with European Aquatics to explore ways to strengthen the relationship between the two organisations.”
They added that they are “looking forward to further discussions in the coming months to support the development of Para swimming and aquatics in Europe.”
‘European Aquatics can lead a global movement’
Silva also feels European Aquatics has an important role to play when it comes to the growth of Para sport throughout the world.
The Portuguese Swimming Federation, of which Silva is the President, recently hosted the 2024 European Para Swimming Championships in Madeira, where for the first time the event utilised an ‘Open’ format.
It was a similar concept to that used during the inaugural European Aquatics U23 Swimming Championships in Dublin in 2023, where a number of athletes from outside the continent were also permitted to compete, in order to enhance the experience for all competitors.
“We figured out that of the 53 nations (affiliated to European Aquatics), only 32 European countries were participating, so we immediately said, said that there is a space to improve and then we started discussions about the steps we can take to progress,” continued Silva.
“This is also a global idea with lots of opportunities because when you see World Aquatics has 210 affiliated countries and World Para Swimming has 110 affiliated countries, then there’s a lot which can still be done.
“I feel European can be a test pilot for the other continents and show the importance of co-operation like we have with World Aquatics President Captain Husain Al Musallam, Brent Nowicki (Executive Director) and Dale Neuberger (Treasurer).
“We all agree that there are important step-by-step processes we can align on to address issues in society around diversity, equality and inclusion within aquatic sports.”
Celebrating a significant success for Portugal
Whilst clearly impressed by the large swell of European success during the Para Swimming programme at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games there was one result which was particularly significant for Silva.
The third-place finish for Diogo Cancela in the 200m Individual Medley – SM6 event secured Portugal its first Paralympic medal in the sport since 2008 and equalled the best-ever finish by a male para swimmer from the nation.
“It means a lot because it is the first time under the umbrella of the Portuguese Swimming Federation that we have a medal at the Paralympics, having started this process in 2014,” said Silva.
“It was not an easy process, but we began with overall inclusion from education to top athletes and now with the strategy and work we have carried out we can see not only this medal but also others making finals for the first time.”
Cancela was also keen to praise the improving support within his home nation, where he trains with recently crowned European champion Camila Rebelo, who won her historic continental title at Belgrade 2024 in June.
“It’s a great moment for me, my family and my country,” Cancela said after his success.
“I’ve been working together with the Olympic team from Portugal as Camella (Rebelo) has been training with me for three years, she pushes me and I push her and it’s really great to have the Olympians and Paralympians working side-by-side.”
Silva added; “Now we have critical mass in a way that in the future, we can expect more podiums, more medals and better results for Portugal.”
Para swimmers and Olympic swimmers could unite in Europe
Silva also hopes that some Para Swimming events could one day be included as part of European Aquatics competitions, as witnessed at recent editions of the Commonwealth Games.
“There is a long-term or medium-term scenario where the inclusion of these athletes in our competitions could happen at regional level or continental level, but we need to take this step-by-step,” insisted the European Aquatics President.
“I’m not saying this is going to happen immediately, we need to move forwards with practical and pragmatic solutions in that field, but we are building relationships and building closer communities which is certainly progressive.”
Next date for-your-diary
Silva’s next major engagement will be the European Aquatics Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Conference on 27 September in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
The following day will see Silva join other key figures from the European Aquatics community for the annual Congress event, in the same venue.
More details can be found on the European Aquatics website.
