Thanyapura Phuket hosts FINA scholars for one-year Olympics training camp
South East Asia’s leading sports training facility, Thanyapura, has commenced a partnership with world swimming governing body FINA that will see the awarding of 25 scholarships to swimmers from around the region while the facility has been named the first official FINA Training Centre in South East Asia.
The year-long scholarships will see the swimmers live and train at Thanyapura, while preparing for the 2015 FINA World Championships and the 2016 Rio Olympics – for which they have got wild card entries.
Announcing the swimmers’ 'Road to Rio 2016' at Thanyapura, Thailaned’s Minister of Tourism and Sports of Thailand, Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul stated “we are proud to be the official venue for the FINA scholars training here in Phuket.
“The Ministry is in full support of the growth of Thanyapura, as Thailand strengthens its status as the sports hub of Asia."
FINA Honorary Treasurer Pipat Paniangvait stated “this initiative – ‘Targeting Rio 2016’ - is part of a wider development strategy from FINA aimed at raising the level of aquatics worldwide, providing specific programs for athletes and officials in the five continents.
“In 2014, the scholarships for swimmers were created and centres are already active in USA, Portugal and now in Thailand.
"Thailand is ready to receive and host some of the most promising swimmers of this region of the world and provide them with optimal conditions of training and preparation."
Thanyapura President and Chief Executive Philipp Graf von Hardenberg added "I'm really looking forward to seeing how these young swimmers progress along their 'Road to Rio'.
"It's a pleasure to have them training at Thanyapura ... we have everything here that an athlete would need to improve their performance and make their country proud at the 2016 Rio Olympics."
The scholarship applicants were selected from 11 countries, including Thailand, Nepal, the Maldives, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, Timor Leste and Rwanda.
A male and a female swimmer will train at Thanyapura Phuket from each nation under the guidance of Thanyapura Head Swimming Coach Miguel Lopez, while using the facilities that attract some of the best swimmers from around the globe.
Lopez, who coached five Olympians and three paralympians to success with 20 medals and who began his role at Thanyapura in August last year, stated "I am excited to have these 25 swimmers at Thanyapura.
“I have found a great pool of talent. The team momentum will make the swimmers better."
The swimmers will get both an education and cultural experience of Thailand. They will stay in the Phuket International Academy boarding houses and will have the opportunity to join in on lessons, school functions, work with junior students and help coach swimming, in both PE lessons and after school activities.
Thanyapura's swimming facilities include a 50 metre Olympic competition pool, a 25 metre training and teaching pool, Omega Track start blocks, a Daktronics timing system and scoreboard, an underwater video analysis window, ozone filtration and sports science services.
The spectacular 23-hectare sporting hub is a regular training base for triathlon stars, such as two-time world champion Caroline Steffen, Hall of Famer Belinda Granger and UK F1 driver Jenson Button. World tennis player Maria Sharapova was also on the list of athletes who have trained here.
With Olympic-standard facilities and a world-class stable of coaches, sports scientists, sports psychologists, dieticians, physiotherapists and chiropractors, Thanyapura offers a unique three-dimensional coaching model for the mind, body and soul.
Main image shows swimmers, dignitaries and Thanyapura executive at the launch of the ‘Targeting Rio 2016’ initiative. Those in the central group, from sixth from left, include: Nisit Jansomwong, Phuket Governor; Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Minister of Tourism and Sports of Thailand; Philipp Graf von Hardenberg, President and Chief Executive, Thanyapura and Pipat Paniangvait, FINA Honorary Treasurer.
Lower images shows Thanyapura's 50 metre Olympic competition pool.
10th June 2015 - THANYAPURA TO INVEST US$10 MILLION TO BECOME ‘SPORTS HUB OF ASIA’
25th August 2014 - THANYAPURA WELCOMES NEW AQUATIC HEAD COACH
2nd July 2013 - THANYAPURA AQUATICS ACADEMY BECOMES ASIA’S FIRST ‘ONE STOP SHOP’ FOR SWIMMERS
