Myrtha Pools supports Agathe Pauli at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games

One very special athlete will be quite at home during the upcoming Paralympic Games: Agathe Pauli.

Pauli, already a decorated swimmer, will be in pursuit of greatness with the support of Myrtha Pools, which is providing all of the competition venues for the aquatic events in Paris 2024. Myrtha’s support of Pauli marks a convergence of efforts. She was brought to Myrtha’s attention by Alain Bernard, one of the most distinguished swimmers in French history and nowadays Vice President of the French aquatic club CN Antibes. It was at the aquatic center in Antibes that Bernard noticed Agathe’s talent and determination. Pauli, born in Marseilles, had been active at Handisport Antibes Méditerranée between 2021 and ’23. That was roughly the same time Myrtha committed to become an official sponsor for the Paris Olympics and Paralympics.

As the Paralympic movement continues to grow, many of the inaccurate assumptions about this level of competition have slowly but surely vanished. Pauli’s story provides evidence that the commitment to competition is just as strong with the elite para-athletes as with their able-bodied counterparts. She began swimming at age 7 and has been a dedicated, passionate athlete. Her disability – one leg significantly shorter than the other – has been with her since birth. She has been a high achiever recently, with French national championships in 2022 and ’23, along with a runner-up finish in the World Championships in 2023. Her favorite race is the 400-meter freestyle.

Supporting Pauli is a natural decision for Myrtha Pools. In addition to providing first-class racing facilities all over the world, an important consideration for the company is to make swimming more readily available to all who are interested, irrespective of gender, nationality, circumstance. Thus, Pauli’s story is emblematic of the pursuit of excellence for everyone.

“I am happy that Myrtha Pools is supporting me in my journey to the forthcoming Paralympic Games, a partner who shares the same passion for swimming since Myrtha is a pool builder,” Pauli said.

Since its creation in 1961 in Castiglione, Italy, near Lake Garda, Myrtha Pools has always placed innovation, sustainability and inclusion at the heart of its development. These assets have made it the manufacturer and then the partner of more than 50 European competitions and World Swimming Championships, as well as the official partner of World Aquatics since 2009. Italy, too, has a special relationship with the Paralympic movement. The first Paralympic Games were contested in Rome in 1960. Myrtha’s sponsorship of Pauli is an extension of that same concern for inclusion and opportunity – swimming as a matter of wellness, for all.

“The identity of our company is truly embodied in this project, which enhances our technical, human and social legacy,” said Myrtha Pools CEO Roberto Colletto. “Because these values are cardinal for us, our company has decided to support the young French Paralympic athlete Agathe Pauli. Her visit to our company headquarters, her meeting with our teams and her views on our work, particularly in terms of disability, will have deeply united our teams around our twin objectives of excellence and ethics.” Pauli, meanwhile, remains focused on her own main objective: Earning a podium finish. A total of 141 Para swimming medal events will be held at the Paris La Défense Arena between Aug. 29 and Sept. 7.

The two pools deployed within the stadium are temporary, and will be installed permanently at different locations within the Seine-Saint-Denis district, providing future opportunities for untold numbers of athletes and fitness-minded residents. This commitment was a key part of Myrtha’s ability to participate in Paris 2024 as an official supporter. All told, Myrtha will be contributing 21 permanent pools plus 3 temporary pools. That was the background that prompted Pauli to visit Myrtha at the company headquarters in Castiglione. And it was helpful to both parties, as discussions about the accessibility of pools for Para athletes were brought to the fore. A total of 605 athletes are expected to compete in the swimming events as this branch of aquatic competition continues to grow in participation and enthusiasm. It feels like the start of a new chapter – not only for para-athletes, but for the company making the pools for Paris 2024.

“With Paris 2024, our company is truly making history,” Colletto said. “I want to celebrate this milestone in the life of our company, but also make it the starting point for a new adventure. Because our legacy is solid, our company is only at the beginning of its history – our history.”