Kocaeli Hosts 2026 World Para Swimming European

The 2026 World Para Swimming European Championships start in Kocaeli, Turkiye, on September 7. Over 400 athletes from 38 nations will compete for 150 medals at the Gebze Olympic Swimming Pool, making it the largest Para swimming event of the year and the biggest single international Para sport event ever held in Turkiye.

According to World Para Swimming, the event is a major milestone on the path to the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games. The competition will be streamed live on YouTube.

Event Significance and History

Since the inaugural edition in Reykjavik, Iceland, in 2009, the European Championships have been a stage for emerging talents who later become Paralympic medallists. Craig Nicholson, Head of World Para Swimming, stated the event is the main European competition for the year. He thanked the local organizers for their work on short notice and expressed confidence the event would leave a lasting legacy in the country.

Murat Aksu, President of the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) Turkiye, emphasized the event's broader importance. He called it a important opportunity to shows the city and country. Aksu also noted that important steps on the road to the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics will be taken in Kocaeli.

Star Athletes to Watch

Italian swimmer Simone Barlaam is highlighted as a star of the competition. He broke his first world record at the 2018 European Championships in Dublin, where he won four gold and one silver medal. Barlaam has earned 15 medals across three editions of the event, 12 of them gold. He said the European Championships are a special event for him and expressed excitement about competing in a new, fast-looking pool.

Host nation Turkiye is targeting a historic top-10 finish, led by five-time world champion Defne Kurt. Kurt is making her European Championships debut. She previously competed as a non-Para swimmer at a short-course World Aquatics Championships before a car accident led her to Para swimming. Kurt stated she is excited and grateful for the chance to compete in her home country after believing she might never swim again.

Competition Schedule and Past Hosts

The first day of competition will feature 26 medal events, with the first gold awarded in the men's 400m freestyle S8. The event runs through September 12.

The history of the European Championships is as follows:

Barlaam and Kurt participated in a press conference in Kocaeli on September 4 alongside officials from World Para Swimming and local organizers.