Swimming-Governing body FINA agrees to introduce mixed relays

BARCELONA - Agence France-Presse

Brazil's Samuel De Bona, Poliana Okimoto Cintra and Allan Do Carmo (L-R) show their bronze medal after the team event 5km open water race during the World Swimming Championships at De La Fusta venue in Barcelona July 25, 2013. REUTERS/Albert Gea

Swimming fans will be able to watch the top male and female athletes competing on the same relay team at major championships after world governing body FINA agreed to introduce a mixed version of the event on Thursday.

"The feeling of everybody, swimmers and coaches and technical committee, is that this is a very interesting event with a lot of tactics involved," FINA executive director Cornel Marculescu told Reuters after the move was ratified at a technical congress in Barcelona.

"The most important thing is that the athletes are happy and I think that is why the decision was made," Marculescu added.

"I think it's going to be very popular with the swimmers and this is the number one criteria for me."