It is my great pleasure to welcome everyone to the 2015 ISF World Schools Championship “Swim Cup”, a swimming event that for the first time in its history is to be held in Poland.

We in Poznań are proud to have the honour to welcome the world’s youngest adepts of this outstanding sport, successes in which are associated with our city. Poznań, the capital of the Greater Poland District, was the hometown of Rafał Szukała, the first Polish European and World champion, a silver medallist at the Barcelona Olympics, and multiple Polish record holder.

The competition will take on the grounds of Termy Maltańskie, a modern facility located near the city centre that was opened less than four years ago. I am pleased that once again this will provide the arena for the discipline’s highest-ranking competitors. Poznań feels honoured to have been entrusted with the organization of this event, and at the same time, sees it as a challenge, which the city is enthusiastic to meet. Poznań’s citizens have often proved extremely capable of fulfilling the role of hosts, offering a degree of hospitality that leaves visitors keen to return. The city’s population enthusiastically participate in various kinds of sporting events, cheering on participants and sharing with them the emotions of great sporting moments. And this time will be no exception.

I would like to wish all the participants a successful start, the strength to overcome their own personal limits, and an enjoyable competition held in a spirit of fair play, so that everyone has the chance to achieve their best and never lose heart. I wish you all the opportunity to proudly represent your countries and feel the joy of participating in this great sporting event. I hope that this visit to Poznań will be very successful for you and your trainers, so that you will always recall our city with nothing less than a smile.

Jacek Jaśkowiak

President of the City of Poznań