Sports Technology

While records tumbled in the water, the venue was one of the highlights of the 14th World Swimming Championships in Shanghai, which concluded yesterday.

Officially opened just before the Championships, the Shanghai Oriental Sports Centre (SOSC) is a truly multi-purpose sports venue that has been designed so that after the Swimming Championships it can be used for a variety of other purposes.

Located next to Expo Park in Shanghai's Pudong New Area, SOSC consists of an indoor arena for sporting and cultural events, with a seating capacity of 18,000; a Natatorium (swimming hall), with a seating capacity of 5,000 and containing four permanent pools arrayed in a row: two 50 metre Olympic pools, a diving pool and a leisure pool; an outdoor swimming pool, also seating 5,000; and a media centre.

In keeping with Shanghai's sustainable urban development policy, the SOSC was built on former industrial brownfield land along the Huangpu River.

Designed and built by architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp), who won the competitive bidding in 2008, and constructed it in under two and a half years, SOSC is themed around water.

Water features connecting each of SOSC's buildings, which stand on raised platforms in specially constructed lakes.

For the World Championships, FINA partner Myrtha Pools transformed SOSC's indoor arena with the construction of two Myrtha technology temporary pools. The pools, 50 x 25 x 3 metre for all swimming and synchronized swimming competitions; and a 50 x 25 x 2 metre pool for warm up, were self supporting structures with ceramic overflow.

Held between 16th and 31st July 2011, the 14th FINA World Swimming Championships attracted 5,000 athletes, judges and delegations from 180 countries; 2,500 volunteers and 1,500 media representatives and were watched by 3.5 billion people on television.

Rebecca Soni of the USA, who won a total of three golds and one bronze medal, was named the best female swimmer of the championships. Michael Phelps of the USA won the most overall medals in the competition with seven (four golds, two silvers, one bronze).

For more information on Myrtha Pools technology, click here to visit the Myrtha Pools listing in the Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory.