By Alyssa Jacobs | July 12, 2021, 3:26 p.m. (ET)
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – After wrapping up a successful 2021 Junior Olympic Championship event, USAAS is excited to announce the locations for the next two years of competition. As the largest artistic swimming event of the year, the Junior Olympic Championship averages about 1,100 athletes competing across a nine-day schedule. Athletes and their supporters are in for two great championship experiences in the upcoming years.
The Junior Olympic Championship is making its way to the south in 2022. From June 25 to July 2, artistic swimmers from across the country will meet in Gainesville, Florida. The Stephen C. O’Connell Center on the University of Florida campus will host nine days of competition across multiple age groups and event categories. The incredible facility boasts room for just over 1,000 spectators and the 50-meter Olympic-sized pool is one of the fastest in the world and will be a perfect setting for the championship. Known primarily as being home to the University of Florida, the city of Gainesville offers much more than an academic and athletic campus. The landscape offers opportunities for biking, fishing, kayaking, golfing, tubing down freshwater springs and other outdoor activities. There is also a sprawling downtown area, home to several craft breweries and a bustling restaurant scene.
“The Gainesville Sports Commission (GSC) is excited for the opportunity to host this elite nine-day event in our community. We have had a strong partnership with USA Synchronized Swimming for many years and are excited to have them back in Alachua County hosting their largest championship event, the Junior Olympics, as USA Artistic Swimming! We cannot wait to welcome the participants and families to Gainesville and Alachua County next summer and showcase what our community has to offer,” Joleen Cacciatore, Executive Director of the Gainesville Sports Commission, said.
Additionally, USAAS is pleased to announce the 2023 location, as the host site will be a brand-new facility breaking ground this week. The Hampton Virginia Aquaplex will be a $29.5M, 67,000 square-foot aquatics center with an eight-lane, 50-meter competition pool, two moveable bulkheads, spectator seating for 1,500 with a mezzanine, on-deck athlete seating for 760 and an outdoor splash park.
Competitors will be sure to enjoy the attractions of Coastal Virginia. The beautiful city of Hampton is said to have an old soul with youthful enthusiasm. The beaches are sure to be a highlight for visiting competitors, but the city also has rich history and entertainment options as well as extensive coastal cuisine options.
“The Hampton Virginia Aquaplex is thrilled to serve as host of the 2023 USA Artistic Swimming Junior Olympic Championship. We are proud to announce this national competition as the first on the books for this sparkling new aquatic venue that will be the largest in Virginia when it opens. We look forward to showcasing Coastal Virginia’s attractions, shopping and dining to participants and their families during the eight-day event,” said Mary Fugere, Director of the Hampton Convention & Visitor Bureau.
