Renovated Sugathadasa stadium Swimming Pool re-opened

Sajeewa JAYAKODY

Sri Lanka's only international swimming pool at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium, was renovated after a lapse of three years and was declared re-opened by Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage at a colourful ceremony, held at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium swimming pool complex, Colombo on Thursday.

The renovation has cost 44 million rupees and it was declared open and was followed by some spectacular diving displays and two men's and women's relay swimming events at the auspicious time 9.16 am. Country's only Swimming Pool that meets International standards, which can be used for both diving and swimming, comprised of eight lanes with the width of 21.4m and 50m in length. The depth of the pool is two metres while the diving pool is 18 metre in depth with the 21.2 metres in width. The pool was renovated from October 6, 2011 to June 30, 2012 by Waterman (Pvt) Ltd, a Sri Lanka based company owned by a Sri Lankan.

After the ceremony, Sports Minister Aluthgamage said that he was striving hard to give this pool for the use of the budding swimmers, who dearly missed this valuable asset for nearly three years, since 2009.

Sri Lanka's ace swimmer, Julian Bolling, who won six gold medals in the 1991 SAAF Games, where Sri Lanka

The renovated Sudathadasa Indoor Stadium swimming pool.

 became the top SAAF country with 41 gold medals, said that he was very happy as this memorable swimming pool, which was vested in the new generation. "I have fond memories in this swimming pool. I was very sad when I saw this swimming pool at a dilapidated state for three years. And the credit should go to Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamge who renovated and gifted this pool for the next generation," he said.