By Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports
An interior view of the new OCBC Arena at the Singapore Sports Hub. (Photo 1 © Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports)
Singapore Sports Hub, Sunday, June 22, 2014 — The newly built OCBC Arena opened its doors to its first major sporting event over the past week, providing members of the public a preview of its state-of-the-art facilities.
The OCBC Arena played host to the 6th World University Floorball Championships (WUFC), making Singapore the first non-European country to host the event. Both Singapore men’s and women’s teams were debutants in the event.
Glendon Phua, who captains the Singapore men’s team, had a first-hand experience of playing in the halls. “It felt great to play on a bigger court with bigger stands. Previously, games used to be played at Republic Polytechnic and only a small number of spectators could be present,” said the Nanyang Technological University student.
Rury Narita, team manager of the Singapore women’s team, said, “With the lighting, media, sound and equipment all set up for the competition, it felt really wonderful to be there. It really felt like a world-class competition and I was happy to be a part of the first event to be held here, and also part of the first sport to play at the halls.”
“Being in the arena felt comforting because there are families and friends in the spectator stands cheering the home team and supporting the sport. It was a really proud moment for all of us,” added the 26-year-old, who also plays on the women’s national floorball team.
Comprising two blocks of six multi-purpose sports halls, the OCBC Arena was designed to cater to an array of indoor sports including basketball, badminton, netball, volleyball and fencing.
The venue has a capacity of 1,000 to 3,000 and features a controlled, natural daylight and mixed mode ventilation system. The system gives the option of air-conditioning for competition events or a low energy, natural ventilation system for everyday use.
Sports enthusiasts can look forward to the upcoming events at the OCBC Arena. The Singapore Slingers are set to tip off their 2014 ASEAN Basketball League season on July 20, while the Asian Netball Championship will take place from September 7 to 14.
For more information on the Singapore Sports Hub, visit: http://www.sportshub.com.sg/
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