THE New Clark City Aquatics Center in Capas, Tarlac, will host the country’s national swimmers for the 2021 Philippine Swimming, Inc. (PSI) national selection bubble from Oct. 22 to 24.
The world-class and only International Swimming Federation (FINA)-approved facility in the country will see 71 local swimmers try out for spots in a series of international competitions, namely, the 15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates this December, and the 19th FINA World Championships 2022 in Fukuoka, Japan, in May.
The event finally pushes through after it was postponed from its original schedule of Aug. 28 to 30 because of the rising cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) then.
The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), the agency in charge of the NCC sports facilities, said it is ready to play as host in line with its vision for the sports complex and to further promote resiliency amid the challenging conditions with the pandemic.
“As a home for Filipino athletes, New Clark City is proud to host this swimming event and help the country’s hopefuls go for gold in international competitions. Through the PSI bubble, our countrymen can see that the country is on the path towards healing, with our athletes serving as icons of determination and strength despite the odds,” said Atty. Aristotle B. Batuhan, BCDA officer-in-charge, in a release.
Mr. Batuhan went on to say that in coordination with organizers, strict health and safety protocols will be implemented during the swimming tryouts, including limiting the movement of participants to the hotel and the training venue and vice versa.
PSI President Lani Velasco, for her part, said they are excited to stage the national tryouts in the confines of the NCC facilities and expressed hope that the three-day event will be a success.
“Aside from being a world-class facility, the New Clark City Aquatics Center is our venue of choice simply because of how BCDA manages it, especially given the current health crisis. While it is important for PSI to be able to host a national selection event for our grassroots swimmers, we also equally value the health and safety of our participants,” Ms. Velasco said.
The PSI national selection bubble is the latest sporting activity that BCDA will be hosting, following the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup last year, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Asia Cup Qualifiers in June, and the PhilCycling National Trials for Road in July, which all took place at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo