FINA became the first international sporting federation to make an official visit and take an official tour of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games facilities.
FINA’s new president Husain Al-Musallam posted a video of the group’s visit on social media this weekend. That included a video and footage of the construction site for the pool swimming venue Arena 92, the new-build aquatics center for water polo, diving, and artistic swimming, the Bridge Pont Alexandre III that will serve as the launchpoint for the open water swimming, and multiple training pools: the Georges Vallerey and L’Odyssee Aulnay-Sous-Bois.
This was the first public revelation of two of the training pools that will be used during the Games.
Piscine Georges Vallerey
The pool, sharing a name with a 1924 French Olympic swimmer and his son, a 1948 Olympic bronze medalist, is located in the Northeast of Paris – as compared to the Northwest, where pool swimming will be held. The trip is about 19 kilometers (12 miles) or a 25 minute car ride away from the main competition swimming pool.
It features a main 50-meter swimming pool with a bulkhead to make it an even 50 meters. The pool was originally built for the 1924 Olympic Games as Piscine des Tourelles, by which it is still widely known, and underwent an extensive renovation in 1989.
A retractable roof was also installed in 1989.
L’Odyssee Aulnay Sous-Bois
The cleverly-nmaed “Space Odyssey” pool is also located in northeastern Paris, and is a bit further from Arena 92 as-the-crow-flies, but is about the same travel distances as the Piscine Georges Vallerey.
The main competition pool is an 8-lane 50 meter pool, and the center also features an outdoor 25-meter, 5-lane pool. There is also a small separate diving pool that has an aquatic climbing wall and 1, 3, and 5 meter platforms.
This short video shows the highlights from #FINA’s successful inspection visit to all the #Paris2024 #Aquatics competition & training venues, which I was proud to lead earlier this week. Congratulations so far @Paris2024 @TonyEstanguet ! Keep up the great work. À bientôt mes amis pic.twitter.com/RzZvZRkN0k
— FINA President (@fina_president) September 24, 2021
The next Olympic crime scene.
FINA needs to get their free vacations in!
I would love for them to explain the value they provide walking around and looking at the facilities…
Everyone loves Paris