LAUSANNE (Switzerland) – The 4th FINA World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships 2022 have been officially awarded to Beau Vallon, Seychelles. 

The premiere global open water swimming event for athletes aged 14-19 will take place from 1-4 September 2022 on the course used during the 2018 and 2019 FINA Marathon Swim World Series events in Seychelles. 

“It is my great pleasure to confirm Seychelles as the setting for the upcoming FINA World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships. We have witnessed outstanding performances at previous editions of this event as competing athletes have gone on to win medals at the FINA World Championships and Olympic Games, making this a stepping stone to future success in the sport,” FINA President Husain Al-Musallam said. “I have no doubt that with the support of the local organising committee and the Seychelles Swimming Association, this will be a huge success and will represent a milestone for this major competition.”

Swimmers born between 2003-2008 will compete in the ocean bay of Beau Vallon on the northwestern coast of Mahe in Seychelles. A well-frequented beach known for its clear water and sandy beaches, the protected waters in Beau Vallon have an expected sea surface temperature of 28 to 30 degrees Celsius, with a course depth of 1.4 to 4 metres. 

The four-day competition will consist of 5km (14-15 years), 7.5km (16-17 years), and 10km (18-19 years) individual events for men and women. A mixed team event consisting of two athletes from each gender completing a 5km course (4x1.25km) will conclude the event. 

The inaugural World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships took place in Welland, Canada in 2012. Subsequent event editions took place in Balatonfured, Hungary in 2014, Hoorn, the Netherlands in 2016 and Eilat, Israel in 2018. The 2020 event was set to take place in Seychelles but was postponed due to the global pandemic.