The technical management of Swimming and Open Water has announced the official call-up of 28 swimmers for the 2026 European Championships in Paris. The team will concentrate at the CAR in Sant Cugat from August 4 to 7.
The High Performance Centre (CAR) in Sant Cugat del Vallès will once again be the epicentre of Spanish swimming preparation. The senior team will train there from August 4 to 7 before travelling to Paris to compete in the European Championships, which will take place from August 10 to 16 in the pool and from August 4 to 8 in open water.
A delegation of 28 swimmers with a local touch
The call-up includes swimmers from clubs in the province of Barcelona, such as Club Natació Sant Andreu, CN Terrassa, and CN Sabadell. Notable names include Hugo González (CN Terrassa), who will compete in the 50, 100, and 200 backstroke and 200 individual medley, and Sergio de Celis (CN Sabadell), in the 50 freestyle.
In the women's category, Ainhoa Campabadal (Sant Andreu) will swim the 200 freestyle, while Irene Ciércoles (Sant Andreu) will compete in the 50 and 100 backstroke. Also returning is Ángela Martínez (KZM Swimming), who will focus on the 10 km in open water and the 1500 freestyle in the pool.
“The concentration at the CAR allows us to work under the best possible conditions before such an important event,” highlighted sources from the Royal Spanish Swimming Federation.
Open water: six swimmers and a mixed relay
In open water, the Spanish team consists of six swimmers. Ángela Martínez will tackle only the 10 km to manage her efforts, while Paula Otero (Arteixo) will combine the 5 km and 3 km knockout. Meanwhile, Clara Martínez de Salinas (Mediterrani) and Candela Sánchez (Gredos) will swim all three distances. In the men's category, Mateo García (Arteixo) and Mario Méndez (Santa Olaya) will also face the triple challenge.
The team will also prepare for the mixed relay 4×1500 meters, a race that debuted at the last European Championships and promises to be one of the most exciting.
Paris 2026: the third time France hosts the Europeans
France will host the European Swimming Championships for the third time, following Paris in 1931 and Strasbourg in 1987. The competition will bring together over 1,100 athletes from across the continent, with an expected attendance of more than 100,000 spectators and millions of viewers.
For swimmers from the province of Barcelona, the Europeans represent an opportunity to compete against the best in the continent in a year without the Olympic Games. The CAR in Sant Cugat thus establishes itself as the headquarters of Spanish swimming for major events.
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