CAPAS, Tarlac. – Impressed by the swimming facilities here, the Asian Amateur Swimming Federation has awarded the Philippine Swimming Inc. the hosting rights for the prestigious 11th Asian Swimming Championships on Nov. 17 to 27 next year at the New Clark City Aquatics Center.
“We have been here for the last few days and have been impressed by your world-class facilities,” ASF secretary Taha Al Kishry of Oman said during the ceremony for the event held at the VIP lounge of the facility last Sunday.
“In fact, this center can stage all major swimming competitions, including the world championships,” Al Kishry, a member of the International Swimming Federation Executive Board, added.
The NCC Aquatics Center has been certified class 1 by the International Swimming Federation, meaning that all major FINA-sanctioned competitions can be conducted at the facility.
Al Kishry was joined by PSI president Lani Velasco, PSC Commissioner Celia Kiram who represented PSC chief Butch Ramirez, and Bases and Conversion Development Authority president and chief executive officer Vince Dizon during the event.
“The Asian championships is an importance aquatics event at par with the Asian Games and held every four years among athletes from 50 countries,” Velasco said. “The PSI will be spearheading this major event in collaboration with the PSC and BCDA.”
We at the PSI are grateful to the BCDA and PSC for agreeing to partner with us in providing the support to make this major aquatics event possible,” said Velasco.
Velasco said swimming, water polo, diving and synchronized swimming will be held during the competition.
Al Kishry said that although the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games will be held in August, ahead of the Asian Swimming Championships, “not all of the Asian swimmers will be competing in Tokyo and we still expect a lot of records to be broken, based on our experience in 2016.
“Those who will be competing in Tokyo will have ample time to recover and compete in the event.”
