Swimming-Celebrations as Kazan awarded 2015 worlds

SHANGHAI, July 15 (Reuters) - The Russian city of Kazan was
awarded the 2015 world swimming championships on Friday,
sparking a raucous celebration from their large bid delegation
in Shanghai's Oriental Sports Centre. 

It is the first time the city, which is known as Russia's
sports city, will host the event and caps a remarkable run for
the country having also been awarded the 2014 Winter Olympics
and 2018 soccer World Cup. 

Mexico's Guadalajara was also awarded the 2017 championships
by world governing body FINA on Friday. Hong Kong was the
unsuccessful bid city. 

The Russian delegation, whose late entry to the main press
venue at the centre on Shanghai's Huangpu River had delayed the
announcement by FINA president Julio Maglione, celebrated
wildly, letting off party poppers and swigging from champagne
bottles after Maglione opened the envelope. 

The much smaller Mexican delegation was more reserved,
accepting the applause from the gathered FINA dignitaries and
the Russian delegation. 

"It is a great step forward for the Russian federation,"
Maria Kisseleva, a triple Olympic champion in synchronised
swimming who spoke at the final bid presentation on Friday, told
Reuters through an interpreter. 

"Kazan also has the 2013 Universiade and there is now the
FINA and the World Cup and the (Winter) Olympic Games. 

"It was especially important for me because my whole life I
dedicated to synchronised swimming," she added. "(And) the
championships is something that is close to me." 


YOUTHFUL DEMOGRAPHIC 

Kisseleva said the city's vibrancy had helped the bid team
and that its youthful demographic would ensure a full house. 

"For the last few years I have been working in Kazan and it
is fantastic and amazing the way the city is growing.  

"The (sports) venues are growing like mushrooms in the rain
and people living in Kazan are sports mad." 

The 14th world swimming championships open in Shanghai on
Saturday with the 15th edition to be held in Barcelona in 2013. 

Kazan an ancient city near the Volga River some 800 km (500
miles) east of Moscow, has also been selected to stage
September's tennis Davis Cup World Group playoff against Brazil.


Russia's tennis chief Shamil Tarpishchev said the contest
will be staged at a newly-built indoor tennis arena.     

"We'll put up a fast court that should give us an advantage
against the Brazilians who are more used to playing on clay,"
Tarpishchev was quoted as saying by local media.     

"It is the first time Kazan will host an international
tennis match so I have no doubt we'll have a full arena every
day and the fans would give us a great reception."