The Central Florida YMCA is pleased to announce that it will partner with Union Americana de Natacion (UANA) and U.S. Masters Swimming to host the 2018 Pan American Masters Championship. The Championship will be held at the YMCA Aquatic Center on the legendary International Drive in Orlando, Florida. USMS, the national governing body for adult swimming, bid for and was awarded the Championship by UANA, an organization that oversees amateur aquatic sports competition in the Western Hemisphere.
This will be the second time the USA has hosted the biennial event. The 2018 Championship will include swimming, diving, synchronized swimming, water polo, and open water swimming. To be held July 25-August 12, 2018 the Championship is expected to attract thousands of athletes from the Americas.
“It is an honor for the Central Florida YMCA to host The UANA Pan American Masters Championships,” says CFYMCA Vice President Rowdy Gaines. “We recognize the prestige of hosting this international event and our Masters teams, corporate partners, and our incredible volunteers are so excited to welcome the world of Masters Aquatics to Orlando, Florida. The competition will span 19 days, bringing adult participants and their families from South America, Central America, the Caribbean, Canada and the USA to ‘The City Beautiful.’ The hospitality and experience of the ‘Theme Park Capitol of the World’ will be an unforgettable experience for everyone. The Masters family is very special to me and I can’t wait to swim the 50 meter freestyle and relays with my own teammates!”
“UANA is looking forward to hosting the 2018 UANA Pan American Masters Championships in Orlando, Florida,” says Mel Goldstein, Chairman of the UANA Masters Committee. “This event will attract approximately 2500 athletes from 43 Swimming Federations in North, South, Central America and the Caribbean. The Pan American Masters Championships will include all of the Aquatic Disciplines: Diving, Synchronized Swimming, Water Polo, Swimming and Open Water. The popularity of Orlando will make this the largest Masters event, other than a World Championship, ever held in North America.”
“The YMCA Aquatic Center is one of the most respected aquatic centers in the country,” says USMS CEO Dawson Hughes. “They have experience hosting large events and have the facility, volunteers, and community support to showcase this international event.”
“Our YMCA Aquatic Center is a treasured resource,” says Harris Rosen, founder and president of the award-winning Rosen Hotels & Resorts. “We have nationally respected swim programs, we have existing events that draw significant tourism, but most importantly the Y teaches thousands each year to be water safe. To have a prestigious international event like the Pan American Championships is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire staff at the Aquatic Center and we are proud to be the official hotel and resort partner.”
2018 Pan American Masters Championships Schedule
- Diving: July 25-27, 2018
- Swimming: July 28-August 3, 2018
- Open Water Swimming: August 4 and 5, 2018
- Water Polo: August 5-9, 2018
- Synchronized Swimming: August 10-12, 2018
UANA contributed to this report.
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