More than 900 athletes are expected to compete at the London Aquatics Centre on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park from May 9 to 22 in what is considered the biggest event to be held there since London 2012.

Among them are Great Britain’s Jazmin Carlin, the reigning women’s European champion in the 400 metres and 800m freestyle events, as well as Germany’s Patrick Hausding, Olympic silver medallist in the 10m synchronised platform diving competition at Beijing 2008.

Carlin collected the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle British titles at the same venue last month to secure a place at this summer’s World Championships in Kazan and with "One Year to Go" she admitted the London Aquatics Centre gives her a confidence like no other pool.

“I’m really excited for the European Championships coming to London in a year’s time,” said Carlin.

“I won my first European titles in Berlin in 2014 and there is no better place to try to defend them than in a home pool.

“The London Aquatics Centre is an amazing venue and having a home crowd will hopefully push myself and the GB team to do great things.

“It was fantastic to have the British Championships back in the venue this year and the next time I swim competitively in the pool will be at the Europeans.

“It will be an incredible year of sport in 2016 and - along with this summer’s World Championships - racing against the best in Europe in London will be great preparation for the Rio 2016 Olympics Games.”

Europe’s elite divers are also fresh from competing at the London Aquatics Centre for the second time having claimed 12 medals at the latest leg of the Diving World Series.

Reigning world 10m synchronised platform champion Hausding claimed double silver in London last week and, with 23 European medals to his name,  including 11 gold, he is excited about returning to the city in a year’s time.

“The fans in Britain are very ambitious,” he said.

“When Tom [Daley] became world champion in 2009 he developed diving in Great Britain and it is great for us because we are getting more attention, not just in Britain, but other countries.

“That is something I am happy about because it makes it fun to dive and you see so many spectators cheering everyone on, not just the British.

“I am looking forward to London; the European Championships have become a little World Championships because of the great divers.”

Britain’s leading synchronised swimmer Genevieve Randall meanwhile made her major international debut at last year’s European Championships in Berlin, securing two top-ten finishes, and is expecting plenty of history to be made at London in 2016.

“Although it seems a long way off the 2016 Europeans will soon be here,” she said.

“After competing in Berlin last year, which was a fantastic learning experience for my first senior competition as a junior, I am looking forward to competing in front of a home crowd.

“That will be a first for me and I know as a duet it will really drive us to do well.

“It will be great for my family - most of which have never seen me swim internationally - and my friends and also my club back in Bristol.”

The 2016 European Aquatics Championships will be delivered in partnership with British Swimming, London & Partners, the London Legacy Development Corporation and the Mayor of London, and is part of the #EveryRoadtoRio campaign, helping Britain’s athletes prepare for the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Exactly 10 non-disabled world records have been set in the pool at the London Aquatics Centre with the most recent being Adam Peaty’s mark of 57.92sec on the way to the 100m breaststroke title at the British Championships in April. 

Britain last welcomed Europe’s long course elite to Sheffield in 1993, while London last acted as host city in 1938 at what is now Wembley Arena.   

To register for exclusive access to tickets for the 2016 European Aquatics Championships click here.


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