AS THE final completion phases at the National Aquatic Centre wind down ahead of the official handing over ceremony, a test event will be conducted at the Balmain, Couva, facility from 2 pm today.
Assisting in the overall analysis and evaluation of this splashing new arena will be none other than Trinidad and Tobago’s Olympic bronze medallist George Bovell III. The Olympic-bound swimmer will be the first athlete to dive into the pools and is expected to continue his preparation at the facility in the lead up to the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro.
The scoring, timing, above ground and underwater audio and video systems will be tested as well as measurements of the water quality and filtration systems. The Aquatic Centre is the only one of its kind in the English-speaking Caribbean and boasts the following features - 50-metre competition pool, 50m outdoor warmup pool, 25m diving facility, permanent seating for 700 persons, fitness room with sauna and a Turkish bath and cold water pool.
This exercise will be led by the contractors, SCG Caribbean, with staff members and trainees of the Sport Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SporTT ) observing. Among the specially invited guests are Huang Xingyuan (Chinese Ambassador to TT ), Darryl Smith (Minister of Sport), Michael Phillips (SporTT chairman) and executives of the Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad and Tobago. Members of the national swim team heading to the Caribbean Island Swimming Championships (CISC) at the end of June have also been invited to the test event.
These final tests are being conducted as part of the handover process for the national sporting facilities.
The National Cycling Velodrome and Aquatic Centre are expected to be passed on to SporTT by SCG Caribbean at the end of this month. Both sporting venues are hoped to also house Olympic-bound athletes, Njisane Phillip and Bovell III, as they wind down preparations ahead of Rio.