Tokyo 2020: A close look At Tokyo 2020 Aquatic Centre.

By: Oma Akatugba

omasports was recently in Tokyo to attend the first world press briefing ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic games.
As part of activities lined up for the seven days trip, was a media tour to 14 of the 43 competition venues. During this well-organised media tour, one site that shone brightly was the Olympic aquatic centre. This venue is where Swimming, Diving and Artistic Swimming competitions will take place during the Olympic games. It will also host the swimming event of the Paralympic games. Some of the most famous Olympians will perform to the admiration of thousands of fans at this eye-popping venue during the Tokyo 2020 Games.
The main attraction of this structure according to the information we got while on this visit would be the roof.

It’s dimensions. Measuring 160 metres long, 130 metres wide and 10 metres thick with a total weight of 7,000 tons, it is clearly of a different class.  And how it looked as at the time of our visit tells you of what would be a magnificent edifice when completed. The roof has taken a unique pattern, which is somehow a characteristic of the Japanese. It was built on the ground! This method shortens the construction period of the whole venue. Another interesting thing to note is that the development of the roof was constructed in advance of the main work of the facility. It also improved safety and reduced costs since neither workers nor the equipment needed to be elevated.

The roof, already completed, it was raised to 37 metres in three steps. Now in its final position supported by four core pillars, it provides shelter for the construction workers to escape the rain or the heat.

The Olympic Aquatics Centre will include the main pool, a sub-pool and a diving pool and will become the sacred heart for Japanese swimming after the Games. The objective is to organise a hundred competitions annually at international, national and junior levels.

The centre is to have a capacity of fifteen Thousand.

The legacy doesn’t exclude the Tokyo citizens as it will also function as a swimming facility where everyone, from children to seniors, can engage in sports and improve their health and wellbeing. It aims to welcome a million visitors a year.

Construction of the Olympic Aquatic Centre commenced in April 2017 and will be completed by February 2020.

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