Perth nominated for 8th World Swimming championships

7/4/94

Perth will be Australia's nomination to stage the 8th World Swimming championships in 1998.

Australia was vying against Greece and Germany to hold the prestigious titles, and FINA - world swimming's governing body - would announce the winner at the 1994 championships to be held in Rome in September.

Sport and Recreation Minister Norman Moore and Mr Simon Allatson, the Executive Director of Australian Swimming Incorporated, jointly made the announcement today.

Western Australia was regarded as the favourite to win the right to stage the 10-day 1998 championships, which would be one of the most prestigious sporting events held in Australia prior to the Year 2000 Olympics.

The championships would be watched outside Australia by an estimated world audience of half a billion people.

Mr Allatson said Perth's chances were rated highly because of the excellent reputation established by Australia in the running of the 1991 World Swimming championships at the Claremont Superdrome.

The $26 million Superdrome received a $9 million upgrading to stage the 1991 championships and was now regarded as one of the finest swimming complexes in the world.  For this reason, ASI and the State Government were pleased to propose that the Superdrome again be the venue for the 1998 championships.

"If 1991 is any guide, winning the 1998 championships would see Perth play host to 1,600 competitors and officials from about 60 countries," Mr Moore said.

"The event attracted more than 600 overseas visitors, who spent an average 27 days in this State, and the economy received a total boost of nearly $27 million dollars."

The 1991 championships cost an estimated $10.3 million to stage, which involved $7.3 million from the State Government and $3 million from the Federal Government.  The event provided a benefit of more than $3.00 for every dollar spent by the State Government.

Mr Moore said staging the 1998 championships in Perth would cost considerably less, because most of the 1991 expenditure was to establish the facilities.

Mr Allatson said the 1998 championships would include swimming, diving, water polo, sychronised swimming and the arduous 25 kilometre world long-distance swimming event, to be staged in the Swan River.

Australia would be aiming to improve its 1991 performance which netted a total of 10 medals (3 gold, 5 silver and 2 bronze) and a place in the top ten nations.

The 1998 championships would also be an important part of Australia's preparation for the Sydney Olympics.  The Australian team would have an ideal opportunity to highlight the outstanding development of Australia's athletes at the international level since the 1991 championhips.

Media contact:  Ross Storey 321 1444 / 222 9595