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Olympic Champion Arrival At Abu Dhabi Swimming Festival 2010 |
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British Olympic swimmer Fran Halsall is honorary starterThe Abu Dhabi Swimming Festival 2010, under the patronage of Abu Dhabi Beaches, has today announced that Olympic swimmer Fran Halsall will attend the event as VIP guest and honorary starter. British athlete Halsall, who recently won five medals at the European Championships, will fly into the emirate courtesy of Splash Dash sponsors Etihad Holidays, ahead of Abu Dhabi’s inaugural swimming festival which takes place on October 16th. Halsall, aged 20 years, is one of the most exciting young athletes in Great Britain and is hotly tipped to win a number of medals in the Commonwealth Games this October. During her stay in Abu Dhabi, Halsall is expected to visit some of the local schools, before officially opening the Abu Dhabi Swimming Festival and acting as starter for the festival’s feature race, the Waha Capital Abu Dhabi Mile. Fran Halsall commented: “It is a pleasure to be invited as the honorary starter for the first open-water swimming competition in Abu Dhabi. It will be my first visit to the region and I’m excited to be part of a Festival which gives people, of all ages and ability, the opportunity to challenge themselves in a community open-water swimming event. It’s a great concept!” Halsall is European Champion in the 100m Freestyle and ranked number 2 in the world in the same event. She has the potential to become England’s greatest Commonwealth Games swimmer this October in Delhi if she medals in all six of the events she is swimming in. Event Organizer, Jamie Cunningham, CEO of Professional Sports Group, added: “We are delighted to welcome Fran to the Abu Dhabi Swimming Festival this October. With a number of races to suit everyone, along with some great prizes up for grabs, it’s fantastic that the Festival is attracting participation from the UAE community, but also interest from world-class athletes internationally.” Festival organizer, Professional Sports Group, has devised a wide range of race options, including the feature race - Waha Capital Abu Dhabi Mile (1.6km) where winners of the male and female categories will each receive 5,000 AED. In the Etihad Holidays Splash Dash (700m) the winning male and female will receive two Business Class tickets to any Etihad Airways destination in Europe. There is also an Etihad Holidays Splash Dash individuals race for children over 200m as well as relay races for schools, businesses and families. AED 5 from each entry fee will go towards the ‘Donate a Brick’ campaign to build the Abu Dhabi Special Care Centre. |
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