The OCBC Aquatic Centre has become the first facility at the Singapore Sports Hub to complete construction, and will host its first event next month.
Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong and officials from the Singapore Swimming Association were at the facility on Monday morning to get a first glimpse of the venue, where past and current national swimmers also had the chance to take to the water.
Members of the public can also experience the aquatic centre from next month, when it goes through a series of soft events before it becomes fully operational.
The TYR 2nd Southeast Asian Swimming Championships from June 14-26 will be the first international meet held there, while the venue is also set to host world-class swimmers from Sept 5-7 during the Singapore Swim Stars.
Said Philippe Collin Delavaud, chief executive of the Sports Hub: "It has been a long and exciting road leading up to this point. Our vision for the Singapore Sports Hub to be a place for everyone - from athletes to everyday Singaporeans - is finally coming to life.
"We are certain that with events such as the SEA Swimming Championships and Singapore Swim Stars taking place this year, we can expect not just great swim meets but also an avenue for Singaporeans to get involved in the sport and fringe activities that will be built around them."
Dr Cheong Choong Kong, chairman of naming rights sponsor OCBC Bank: "What excites us more than anything else is what the OCBC Aquatic Centre and OCBC Arena will offer the community... They will be (places) for families and communities to come together - to play and compete, or just watch and cheer."
The state-of-the-art aquatic centre features a 50m competition pool, a 50m training pool, and a 5m-deep diving pool, all meeting the world swimming governing body Fina's requirements for competitions. The facility is built with 3,000 permanent seats, with the flexibility to double that seating to cater to other events.
Other venues at the hub, such as the National Stadium and the OCBC Arena, are also set to open their doors next month. The 55,000-seater stadium is hosting the rugby World Club 10s from Jun 21-22, while the World University Floorball Championships will take place here from Jun 18-22.
