The Tribune

A NEW world class 25m competition pool was inspected on Monday by Bahamas Aquatics as the final step in making it a FINA certified pool for competition.

Being the newest 25 meter pool in Nassau, with a special wave reduction guttering system, high performance blocks and other features it is also likely the fastest 25 meter pool in The Bahamas.

With these features the pool at Macfit360 could play an integral part in the re-emergence of short-course swim meets and perhaps a short course season.

Additionally, it could generate a special renewed interest in Bahamian swimmers going after the recently updated and published short-course meter records.

The facility, a brainchild of Mr and Mrs Mackey, owners of Macfit360, is expected to lead the way in terms of sports tourism.

Bahamian Olympian Allan Murray, a national coach in Bahamas Aquatics, heads the facility as the Aquatics Director at MacFit 360.

“There are many big countries with big budgets looking to come to this part of the world to prepare for big games or perhaps just to break the monotony of training at home or during whatever stage of the pandemic they find themselves in,” Murray said

“I remember taking training trips to Florida from Georgia as a sort of incentive trip that involved periods of intense training in a different, perhaps more attractive setting from the regular college campus.

“It is like paradise here in The Bahamas and we have all the natural assets to make us attractive. We have lovely beaches, we have awesome resorts, we have nice weather and we now have a world class performance center that includes this awesome pool.”

Swimmers from all over the world are expected to come and experience the great weather, beaches and have this brilliant facility to help them prepare.

It would be great for athletes to come into Nassau and quietly train and prepare for future games, according to Murray.

The facility, which was inspected by Bahamas Aquatics executives today, will be FINA certified and is extremely convenient for elite athletes since just a few feet away is both an extensive outdoor training area as well as the largest indoor fitness and performance center in the Caribbean.

Macfit360 Fitness and Performance Center, with it’s Baha Mar Boulevard address, is also within close proximity to both Baha Mar Resort and the Queen Elizabeth Sports Center adding to the area already seen as the main hub of sports in the country.

Murray, one of the country’s most decorated swimmers and a national team coach, said he has been making an input into the Aquatics programming of the centre and is very excited about it.

“I have a swimming and coaching background and given the fact that I have swam or coached at some of the best pools in the world, I have been able to make an input in the development of the center,” he said.

“I am really happy that we are getting this world class 25 meter competition pool FINA certified and that I am still involved in the sport as a coach, and that I have been able to coach a growing number of our very potential swimmers right here over the past few months.

“I must say it speaks to the vision of the Mackeys and the Macfit360 brand, that they saw fit to build this facility at this time and to include this state of the art competition pool.”

Murray congratulated Bahamas Aquatics for the fact that they came out on the public holiday to do their inspection that will help towards having it certified in time for their first swim meet to take place on Saturday, July 24th.

All of the Masters Swimming community will be invited to participate in the events that will cater to 25m natural breastrokers to 500m triathlete freestylers.

“While the Olympics is getting started in Japan our Masters Swim Meet will be held and hopefully this will bring out both a more fun and competitive spirit in all of the over 21 aged competitors. I even expect a few competitors to be past Olympians,” Murray jokes.

“I tell all masters swimmers I encounter that masters is as fun or as serious as you want it to be to keep it going. My desire is to keep our masters membership and training growing at our facility. Also, we hope to host and play a part in getting age-groups and masters competitive short course meets going again in Nassau.”