London 2012 Aquatics Centre
With London 2012 nearly here, you’re going to see a lot of the Olympic Park and its amazing venues in the weeks ahead. So each day in the run-up to the Opening Ceremony, we’re finding out how each venue will be used after the Games. Today, it’s the Aquatics Centre.
With its striking wave-shaped roof, the Aquatics Centre is poised to one of the most visually impressive venues during the London 2012.
After the Games, it will have the temporary ‘wings’ dismantled and will become a flagship swimming centre for clubs, schools, athletes and the general public.
Fittingly, some of the first people to swim in the centre were 300 young people from the six local ‘host’ boroughs in the annual six Host Borough Swimming Championship in March.
Check out our unique timelapse footage of the venue being built.
Saving lives in Bangladesh
While the Torch continues its journey around the UK, children thousands of miles away are also benefiting from International Inspiration, the London 2012 international legacy programme.
Among them is Noor, 18, who saved a child from drowning by performing CPR learnt on a SwimSafe course developed in partnership with the Bangladesh Swimming Federation.
She said: “Before being involved with International Inspiration, I wasn’t very confident and I didn’t feel like I would have any opportunities in life. Now, thanks to International Inspiration, I am using the skills and experience I have learnt to further my education and I am much more respected in my community, which is something very important for women in Bangladesh”.
International Inspiration is providing sporting opportunities to millions of young people of all abilities, across the world, particularly in developing countries. It has already reached 12 million children in 20 countries, setting the foundations for a true international legacy to the Games.
More information is available on the London 2012 website.
Devon swimmers give warm reception to legacy cash
As Rebecca Adlington begins her final two months of intensive training, swimmers in Dartmoor are celebrating the 30thanniversary of their local pool thanks to an Olympic legacy fund.
Despite being popular with local swimmers, the low water temperature at Moretonhampstead Swimming Pool was putting off many families and local schools. The pool will now we revamped with solar heating thanks to £50,000 from the Inspired Facilities fund attracting new people into swimming.
Mary Anne Course Chair of the pool’s Committee said: “With the improvements we will be able to make, we can look forward to the next 30 years.” Central Devon MP, Mel Stride added: “There is a strong sense of community involvement in this operation, and I hope that part of Moretonhampstead’s legacy from the Olympic Games will be to sustain and improve this facility for many years to come.”
Coaching the Olympic champions of the future
As Rebecca Adlington and Ellie Simmonds go for gold in the Aquatics Centre this summer, just a few miles down the road, hundreds of local kids will be receiving swimming lessons from a new generation of coaches funded by London 2012 programmes.
Kelsey Richards, who teaches at the Redbridge Swimming Club in East London, is one of more than 10,000 Londoners trained under the Mayor of London’s Skills Investment programme.
She received funding towards her coaching qualifications in return for volunteering at the Swimming Club where she trained, and is now looking forward to helping the next generation of swimmers take to the water.
“I would not have been able to finance these courses myself,” she said. “I love the sport and want to be the best coach I can be.”
As well as helping people like Kelsey to achieve their ambitions, the scheme is addressing the shortage of qualified swimming coaches in London, enabling more children to take up swimming lessons in the future.
Image ©GLA/London Mayor
