Dubai Sports Council (DSC) has announced that the Artistic Swimming World League will be held from 13th to 15th Dec. 2024 at Hamdan Sports Complex, with participation of 250 female athletes of four age groups, representing various clubs & national teams of 15 countries from all continents of the globe; these are: UAE, Russia, New Zealand, Brazil, America, Singapore, Italy, Algeria, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Croatia, Azerbaijan, Egypt & Spain.

The Championship is organized by Double D Sports Club in collaboration with DSC.

The Championship’s details were declared in a press conference, convened at DSC’s premises and addressed by Mr. Abdulla Shahdad, the Hamdan Sports Complex’s Manager / Ms. Daria Kalkina, Owner of the Double D Sports Club / the Russian female swimmer Anastasia Davydova, winner of five golden medals & holder of 13 titles in Artistic Swimming Championships.  

Mr. Abdulla Shahdad stated: “We are pleased at Hamdan Sports Complex to host this international event, the biggest in the globe in artistic swimming field, which brings together huge numbers of clubs and national teams from different countries around the world. This Championship is one of 58 various international and local sports events taking place at Hamdan Sports Complex annually, including 28 Olympic and non-Olympic sports, besides several community events and training camps for clubs, national teams and Olympic champions who have named Hamdan Sports Complex as  destination for their trainings as part of preparations for the biggest international championships; top of these champions are: the South African swimmer Chad Le Clos, Japanese swimmer Rie Kanto and Danish badminton champion Viktor Axelsen, besides the French diving star Gary Hunt & the Russian rhythmic swimming star Anastazia Akhipovskaya, in addition to the Olympic champion Anastasia Davydova, who is participating in the Championship as a coach of  her own team & who has named Dubai as destination of her residence and investments after participating in a number of championships at the Hamdan Sports Complex”.

He added: “We host artistic swimming events annually at the Hamdan Complex, however this Championship is the biggest of its kind in international artistic swimming field. We are pleased to support the private sector, including clubs, academies and event organizers, to organize such international championships that contribute to the development of sport and attracting and enhancement of sports talents. These eminent international events support sports tourism too”.

The Olympic champion Anastasia remarked: “I am pleased to participate in this Championship, and happy to see this great numbers of participants, particularly the participation of local Emirati talents. It is important to host such international championships that contribute to the development of sport and enhance its spread. I confirm that Dubai is able to host such great championships with full success & distinction as usual”.

She added: “I advise every female player who exercises this sport to exert considerable efforts to develop her skills through training and full commitment until she becomes an Olympic champion. I believe that an Olympic champion needs 8 to 10 years of trainings to attain a golden medal in the Olympics, based on her adherence to proper training, while children can train for 4 to 5 hours a day. Young female juniors can train from 5 to 6 hours daily, while youth may join 10 to 11 hours of training per day. However, the matter needs qualified coaches. I surely believe that in Dubai there are many prominent coaches who are able to create a female Olympic champion if she commits to the daily required trainings”.

Daria Kalkina mentioned: “I am so pleased toward the remarkable participation of clubs & national teams from different countries of the world. Everyone loves Dubai and always seeks to participate in competitions taking place in the Emirate. I believe that this event will meet our goals. This year’s version is held under title Fair play, Unity in the World of Sports & Inspiring of Emirati Female Athletes to participate in International Competitions. In Double D Club, we always focus on Emirati girls, and we endeavor to create Emirati team. Already we have 6 Emirati female players who are enthusiastic to attain international medals, and we have more than 100 female athletes in the club, taking into account that a proper program is allocated for them to boost and develop talents”.

She added: “The Championship witnesses participation of 250 female players; including 198 international female athletes besides 52 female athletes from UAE (among them are 5 Emirati female athletes). This year’s version is held with participation of new countries; these are: New Zealand, Brazil, America, Singapore, Italy, Algeria, Georgia and Uzbekistan which will participate for the first time, alongside Russia, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Croatia and Azerbaijan, which will participate in the competition for the second time. New Zealand, Georgia and Russia will all be participating with their national teams’ players. The Championship will be managed by international referees and observers who participated in World Artistic Swimming Championships & the Olympics, and the event will therefore be organized as per the highest standards”.