Gwangju City to Host the 1st Gwangju Swimming Championships and Masters Swimming Competition Next Year

Gwangju City Hall

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on the 16th that it has decided to hold the ‘1st Gwangju Swimming Championships and Masters Swimming Competition,’ originally scheduled for this year, next year to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

To this end, 11 people including officials from Gwangju City, the Korea Swimming Federation, Nambu University, and the Gwangju Swimming Federation involved in the establishment and preparation of the competition held a meeting on the 11th at Nambu University, where last year’s World Swimming Championships were held, to discuss whether to hold the event.

At the meeting, there was an opinion that “the competition must be held this year for the career paths and college admissions of athletes and students, even if it requires thorough quarantine preparations and postponement of the event schedule.”

However, there was a consensus that holding the event this year is not appropriate to ensure the safety of participating athletes and citizens amid the ongoing spread of COVID-19.

In particular, considering that social distancing level 2 has been maintained since July 1, and a strengthened administrative order of quasi-level 3 was enforced from August 27 to September 14, with many citizens suffering severe livelihood difficulties, it was finally decided to hold the event next year.

Shin Dong-ha, Director of the Sports Promotion Division of the city, said, “It is a very regrettable situation for those who have been preparing hard for a successful competition, the athletes, and their parents, but now the safety of participating athletes and citizens is the most important value, so we ask for understanding regarding the postponement of the event. We will do our best to prepare an event next year that all national swimmers, enthusiasts, and 1.5 million citizens can enjoy.”

Meanwhile, as the spread of COVID-19 continues, the 15th Halla Cup National Swimming Competition (March), the 34th Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism National High School Sports Competition (April), the 2020 National Sports for All Festival (April), the 49th National Youth Sports Festival (June), and the 2020 MBC Cup National Swimming Competition (September) were canceled this year.