The Mendizorrotza sports complex is hosting 258 swimmers from 52 different clubs for the Spanish Adapted Swimming Championship for athletes with intellectual disabilities. This event is the most significant of the year for this specialty and awards official titles. Admission is free for the public, and registrations are already closed.
The championship is organized by the Spanish Federation of Sports for People with Intellectual Disabilities, the Basque Adapted Sports Federation, and the Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council. It is being held for the first time in the Basque Country, taking over from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria as the host city. Participants, aged between 9 and 65, come from various autonomous communities including the Basque Country, La Rioja, Navarre, Galicia, Catalonia, Andalusia, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, Madrid, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, Extremadura, Murcia, and the Valencian Community.
“"Beyond its competitive nature, this event represents a commitment to the visibility and integration of people with disabilities through sport. Furthermore, it is an opportunity to highlight the quality of our sports facilities, reaffirm the city's commitment to equal opportunities, and open Vitoria-Gasteiz to all visitors."
The Spanish Adapted Swimming Championship serves to achieve minimum marks and for the Federation's evaluation for international events, such as the Virtus Summer European Games to be held in Poland in July. The competition includes absolute categories: S-14 general, S-15 Down syndrome, S-16 adapted swimming, S-17 skills, under-18, and masters. The trials continue this afternoon from 5:00 PM and will run until Sunday.
