International swimming federation, FINA, alongside Swimming Australia, the Victorian State Government and Visit Victoria, have announced Melbourne as the host of the 16^th 25m Swimming World Championships.

The event will be held from 13-18 December, at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, and will be the first time it has been held in Australia, with the city welcoming 1,000 athletes from over 180 countries.

Commenting on the announcement, Swimming Australia CEO, Eugénie Buckley, said: “Melbourne is one of the great sporting and cultural epicentres in the world and we are excited to welcome the best athletes from across the globe to the Victorian capital for this event – particularly at a state-of-the-art facility like MSAC.”

“Our country has a proud history of hosting world leading events and I have no doubt our swimming community, and the broader public will embrace this event with the passion and energy synonymous with Australian sporting fans.

“Bringing this event to our shores would not have been possible without the tremendous support of the Victorian State Government and Visit Victoria, as well as the innovative approach of the FINA President and his Executive, and on behalf of Swimming Australia let me express our sincere excitement for the opportunity this presents,” she said.

FINA president, Husain Al-Musallam, added: “Australia has a great swimming tradition and we’re looking forward to coming back to Melbourne.”

“I am sure this will be another highly successful FINA event that provides the world’s best short course swimmers with the environment to perform at their very best,” Al-Musallam said.

The announcement comes after Swimming Australia confirmed three-time Olympic gold medallist and decorated sports administrator, Tracy Stockwell OAM, as the new president of the governing body.