Optus Aquatic Centre Open for Aussie Trials, Commonwealth Games

swims in the 2016 Australian Swimming Championships, Day 3 at the SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre in Adelaide onFriday, April 8, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Steve Christo)

Photo Courtesy: Swimming Australia

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Swimming Australia head coach Jacco Verhaeren has given his seal of approval to the Optus Aquatic Centre following today’s “venue reveal” in the lead up to this week’s Hancock Prospecting Australian Swimming Trials.

Photo Courtesy: Twitter, @DolphinsAUS

And Verhaeren said he was looking forward to some hot heats and fast finals after the first official look at the 2018 Commonwealth Games Swimming Venue, with great weather expected.

“The facilities here are excellent and while many of our athletes train outdoors, the opportunity to swim under the Gold Coast sun in the competition venue just weeks before the Games is a major advantage for our team. This will be one of the biggest Trials yet and I have no doubt competition will be tough, and we will see some outstanding performances this week,” Verhaeren said.

The Australian Head Coach joined Commonwealth Games Minister, The Honourable Kate Jones, Minster for Tourism Industry and Development and the Commonwealth Games, Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate and Optus State Manager for Queensland and Northern Territory Mark O’Shea at today’s venue reveal.

The Centre will play host to Australia’s best swimmers from this Wednesday, February 28 to Saturday, March 3 – for four exciting days of competition, after which the Dolphins team will be announced.

Then from April 5 to 10 the Optus Aquatic Centre will be the major focus of attention when some of the world’s fastest swimmers compete for Commonwealth Games glory.

This week’s Trials will provide spectators with a taste of what is to come just five weeks out from the Games and an opportunity to be a part of a special moment in history.

Dutch-born Verhaeren, who is one of the world’s most respected and travelled National Team coaches, will steer the Dolphins in his second Commonwealth Games campaign after topping the medal tally in Glasgow with 57 – 19 of the them gold.

“It has been so good living on the Gold Coast and working in and around this complex, watching its transformation into what will be an amazing venue – absolutely world class.

“I have seen some of the best aquatic centres around the world, many of them outdoors in places like Barcelona, Athens and Montreal to name just a few and the Gold Coast will be right up there with the best of them.

“We know the pool is fast – we saw world records broken here in 2014 at the Pan Pacs and who knows, with so many of the best swimmers in the world coming here for the Games, we just might see a few more.”

The Honourable Minster Kate Jones, said, “All the stars of Australian swimming will assemble on the Gold Coast this week, making for a great spectacle for locals.

“For the athletes, this is just as much about qualifying for the Games as it is getting a better feel for the venue.

“The Games will deliver $4 billion for our economy and create about 16,000 jobs.

“With the infrastructure we’ve put in place this event will serve Gold Coasters well for generations,” Jones said.

O’Shea, QLD & NT State Manager for Optus said, “It was a pleasure to attend today’s announcement on behalf of Optus, to officially unveil the Optus Aquatic Centre as one of the premier venues for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.”

“Optus is proud be associated with Swimming Australia and the Australian Dolphins Swim Team, and would like to wish our swimmers all the best for the trials this week, and the entire Australian Team good luck at the games.”

While Gold Coast City Mayor Tom Tate said it was an honour to have the very best National swimmers here five weeks out from the Games.

“Our city is determined to ensure we maximise the return on our investment in world-class sporting facilities,” Mayor Tate said.

“Today’s event, and the week-long meet ahead, is further proof that we are focused as much on legacy benefits as we are on GC2018.’’

Press release courtesy of Swimming Australia.

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