By Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports
An interior view of the new OCBC Aquatic Centre at the Singapore Sports Hub. (Photo 1 © Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports)
Singapore Sports Hub, Tuesday, June 24, 2014 — In preparation for the upcoming 28th SEA Games and 8th ASEAN Para Games, the newly built OCBC Aquatic Centre hosted its first major sporting event over the past week, providing members of the public a preview of its state-of-the-art facilities.
The TYR 2nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Swimming Championships, which was held at the OCBC Aquatic Centre, featured some of the best swimmers in Southeast Asia, including Vietnamese Nguyen Thi Anh Vien, who was the only female swimmer to bag three gold medals at the 27th SEA Games.
National swimmer Danny Yeo was one of the first athletes to compete in the pool Championships. Yeo said, “My first thoughts were, ‘Wow, this place is awesome!'”
“The pool is comparable to other world-class facilities around the world. There is ample seating for spectators and the pool is a fast pool, with all of the latest technology that keeps waves to a minimum,” added the 24-year-old student at Singapore Management University.
The 3,000-seater OCBC Aquatic Centre meets Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) standards, and is suitable for swimming, water polo, diving and synchronised swimming events. Facilities include a 50m competition pool, 50m training pool and 5m-deep diving pool. The roof of the venue is designed to ensure an excellent standard of daylight, ventilation and air handling. The main competition venue is also equipped with giant ceiling fans to keep athletes and spectators comfortable, even through hot weather conditions.
“The new OCBC Aquatic Arena is better than what I thought it would be. It’s just spectacular. One of the best sporting arenas I have ever been to,” said swimming enthusiast Adrian Seetho.
“It really exceeded my expectation, and I expected a lot. I don’t think any pictures or videos can do this place justice. The place is ginormous and the atmosphere is really amazing. This arena is truly phenomenal and I believe every athlete will be looking forward to compete in this arena again.”
Sports enthusiasts can look forward to the upcoming events at the OCBC Aquatic Centre. The FINA Diving Grand Prix 2014 will be held from October 17 to 19, while the 2014 FINA World Cup will be held on November 1 and 2.
On non-event days, the OCBC Aquatic Centre will be opened daily for general public use.
For more information on the Singapore Sports Hub, visit: http://www.sportshub.com.sg/
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