Congratulations on new home!

Complete automation and everything necessary for training — what else is inside the new swimming pool in Minsk?

“We never had our own home before. For many years, we dreamt of having a base where we could come and work. We rented premises. And now, we have our own home. Everything is magnificent here!” Igor Makeyev, the senior coach of Belarus’ national swimming team, did not hide his joy on the day of the grand opening of the international standard swimming pool in Minsk. In fact, not only swimmers have acquired a luxurious base, but also representatives of springboard diving, water polo, synchronised swimming, and modern pentathlon. What makes this new sports facility, which has just appeared on the map of Minsk, so impressive?

World-class swimming pool of AC-5 category has opened its doors in Minsk      

Even externally, the architectural grandeur of the building, rising to around 30 metres and covering more than 40,000 square metres, is captivating. The project, the construction of which commenced in August 2020 as part of the collaboration between Belarus and China, has been meticulously planned, including considerations for fire safety, ventilation and acoustic systems, eco-friendly building materials, water extraction and smart management systems. This facility is truly unique for our country. 
Belarus’ Sports and Tourism Minister Sergei Kovalchuk noted that the new swimming pool was built specifically as a sports complex, primarily aimed at organising the training process for athletes of various ages. However, it will be accessible not only to athletes; from January 1st, it is planned to open its doors to sports enthusiasts as well. According to Sergei Kovalchuk, the sports complex features two 50-metre swimming pools, a 25-metre pool, a small pool for athlete training, and a hydrochannel — there are just a few such complexes in Europe and the world! Yet, this is far from being the only offering of the sports facility. The top floor boasts halls for fencing, which is part of the modern pentathlon programme, choreography necessary for synchronised swimming training, a separate room for water polo training, and gym facilities. Additionally, the building includes a recovery complex, a café, and relaxation rooms providing all the conditions required for training.  
“This facility was built in accordance with the requirements of the international federation for hosting the most prestigious international competitions. Therefore, all nuances were taken into account during its design,” recounted Sergei Marchenko, Director at Republican Centre of Olympic Training for Water Sports. “The central pools are intended for holding competitions in all types of sports. By the way, they can be transformed: a 50-metre pool, for example, can be converted into two 25-metre pools. They are equipped with underwater cameras that allow for the recording of swimming and synchronised swimming competitions.”  
The complex is high-tech, with almost everything automated, even the cloakroom. The most significant feature, though, is that it is equipped with an automated water treatment system: the operator in the control room only needs to monitor all the systems. “Already today [November 7th], athletes will begin their training. They will be able to train under one roof all year round,” summarised Sergei Marchenko.  
The athletes were delighted with their new home and said a lot of compliments about the new swimming pool on the day of its opening. Ihar Boki, a 21-time Paralympic swimming champion, shared his opinion, “This swimming pool is a fantastic gift for us. I thank the President for such a sports complex, one of the best in the world. I have only been to a similar one once, and it does not compare to ours. Representatives of all swimming disciplines now have even more opportunities for training: everyone will fit here.” 

Ihar Boki — a 21-time Paralympic swimming champion — dubbed the new sports complex one of the best in the world   Aleksandr Kulevsky

“The emotions are incredible! When I first got here, my first thought was: this is not a swimming pool, it is a whole football stadium — it is that vast! I can only imagine the impressions of the children who will come to this arena. It is hard to express in words how pleasant it is to receive such gifts!” underlined Anastasiya Prokopenko, an Olympic bronze medallist and multiple world champion in modern pentathlon. “The pools here are not the only impressive feature: on the third floor, for example, there are six halls — for fitness, fencing, trampoline jumping, and gym equipment. The training opportunities are excellent. Here we can engage not only in swimming and fencing but also shooting, for example: we can set up targets in one of the halls.”  
Ilya Shymanovich, the winner and medallist of the world and European championships, was also impressed by the scale of the sports facility, “There are many different types of swimming pools. Usually, sports facilities of this size host world championships, European championships, and the Olympics. Other competitions are held in more modest venues,” commented the swimmer. “Of course, we want major events to be held here, supported by our domestic fans: it is incredibly energising!”   
Yelena Svetlichnaya, the head coach of the national synchronised swimming team, also spoke about the prospects of hosting competitions in the Minsk’s swimming pool, “This is a facility where the largest competitions can be held. With its emergence, we have a much greater chance of taking on the responsibility of hosting major international events. We are grateful for such a gift!”   
Gennady Vishnyakov, the senior coach of the national team for adaptive sports, is convinced that the appearance of the international standard swimming pool will bring forth new talents, “I am simply delighted with this complex! Here, not only the national team will be able to train, but also the reserves, our younger generation. Excellent conditions have been created for training. We will always come here with pleasure and, of course, we will strive to continue bringing joy to Belarus with high results.”

By Tatiana Pastushenko

Photos by Aleksandr Kulevsky