The Mayor of Gwangju Yoon Jang-hyun, together with the Vice-President and Secretary General of the 18th FINA World Championship Organising Committee Dr. Cho Young-Teck of, welcomed a group of international media on Thursday February 8.

A private meet & greet with the Mayor and the Secretary General allowed world-renown journalists to get acquainted with the next host city of FINA's flagship event, to take place from July 12 to August 11 2019, featuring both the FINA World Championships and the World Masters Championships. The reception at Gwangju City Hall was followed by a tour of the FINA World Championships venues.


Venues tour with the media

Approximately 15,000 participants are expected to attend this major event, with more than 200 countries broadcasting the Championships on television.

With just under one and half years to go until the Championships, the Gwangju 2019 Organising Committee has opened their doors to welcome both international and local media partners in order to build stronger relationships. The top sport & business media had the opportunity to meet Yoon Jang-hyun, Mayor of Gwangju and Dr. Cho Young-Teck, the Secretary-General and Vice-President of the Organising Committee. The group was received at Gwangju City Hall, where the media were given an overview and progress update by the host city towards the preparation of the Championships.


Venues tour with the media

The Mayor of Gwangju, said: "We are very happy to welcome the world to Gwangju. To host this fantastic event goes beyond sports, our city and our country believe in the impact of sport and the positive power it has throughout the world. As an experienced global host of major events, I am proud to say that our city and our citizens are looking forward to welcoming the FINA World Championships in 2019 and we are devoted to making them a great success."

He continued to say: "In addition, as Gwangju hosts the FINA Championships in 2019, this enables Korea to be the fourth country to have hosted five international mega-sports events. Including the Summer & Winter Olympics, the FIFA World Cup, the IAAF World Championships and now the FINA World Championships. To further promote peace and mutual understanding, we have launched the slogan "Dive into Peace" for the Championships. In this regards, the 2019 FINA World Championships will reflect a bigger ambition and ultimately be more special and meaningful." 


Gwangju City TownHall

Dr. Cho Young-Teck, Vice President and Secretary-General of the Organising Committee for Gwangju 2019, added: "On behalf of the Organising Committee of the 18th FINA World Championships, we are very much looking forward to welcoming the athletes, officials, fans and especially our friends in the media to Gwangju next year. Our team is working hard to ensure a fantastic event and make it an unforgettable experience for all."