Shanghai is set to host the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2024 from Oct 18 to 20.

Chinese Olympic medalists Pan Zhanle, Wang Shun, Zhang Yufei, and Tang Qianting are geared up to defend their honor.

The FINA Swimming World Cup, initiated in 1989 by the International Swimming Federation (FINA), is a premier international swimming event. Held annually between August and November in six to seven cities across the globe, the competition brings together the world's top swimmers. In January 2023, FINA officially rebranded as the World Aquatics, reflecting its new title.

In the Shanghai leg of the competition, over 200 athletes from around the world will compete fiercely in 34 events (17 for men and 17 for women). A total of 19 Olympic champions will be participating in the event, including the entire Chinese lineup from the Paris Olympics.

This year's edition of the Swimming World Cup will be held in three stages: Shanghai from Oct 18 to 20, Incheon from Oct 24 to 26, and Singapore from Oct 31 to Nov 2. The competitions will also serve as qualifiers for the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25 m) in December.

Given the nature of short-course races, specific venue requirements are essential. The swimming pool of the Oriental Sports Center, originally a standard 50-meter pool with a depth of 3 meters, has been swiftly transformed into a 25-meter short course pool for the event.

To accommodate the competition, temporary stands have been erected, particularly along the poolside, with two specially designated areas. The venue, initially equipped with over 1,800 fixed seats, has added new stands behind the existing ones, increasing the total seating capacity to over 2,600 seats for a single session.

Source: Shanghai Administration of Sports