By Duncan Mackay

Kazan_celebrate_being_awarded_2015_World_Swimming_ChampionshipsJuly 15 - Russian city Kazan and Mexico's Guadalajara were today chosen as hosts of the 2015 and 2017 World Swimming Championships by governing body FINA as Hong Kong missed out.


The decision to choose Kazan sparked a raucous celebration from their large bid delegation in Shanghai's Oriental Sports Centre as Russia celebrated the latest major event to be awarded to the country.

It is the first time the city, which is known as Russia's Sports City, will host the event and caps a remarkable run for the country having also been awarded the 2014 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Sochi and the 2018 FIFA World Cup, as well as the 2013 World Athletics Championships in Moscow and the 2016 World Ice Hockey Championships along with several other major events.

Kazan has also been chosen to host the 2013 World University Games. 

The Russian delegation, whose late entry to the main press venue at the centre on Shanghai's Huangpu River had delayed the announcement by FINA President Julio Maglione, celebrated wildly, letting off party poppers and swigging from champagne bottles after Maglione opened the envelope.

The much smaller Mexican delegation was more reserved, accepting the applause from the gathered FINA dignitaries and the Russian delegation.

Kazan bid team communications director Irina Shadrina said the 2015 event would be a big boost for the western city of 1.2 million.

"It's really great for our city," she said.

"Usually people know about Russia.

"We have Moscow and St Petersburg but nobody knows others and now we want to be the sports capital in our country.

"The aim is to make Russian people to be more healthy, to build more swimming pools for children.

"After the Soviet Union was broken up we had a lot of problems with that so we really want our nation to be healthy.

Mexican Swimming Federation president Kiril Todorov said winning the 2017 hosting rights was a "dream come true".

"It is time to move to the next level [with] the opportunity to hold the crown jewel of our sport in one of the most beautiful cities in Latin America," he said.

Guadalajara is also due to host this year's Pan American Games. 

"We could not have done it without the support we had in Mexico, from our people and our Government; but also, from all the member associations who believed in our commitment to further develop and promote Aquatic sports in our country and across Latin America," said Todorov.

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