Singapore, 19 May 2014 - SportsHub Pte. Ltd. and Premier Founding Partner OCBC Group, together with Mr.Lawrence Wong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, and the Singapore Swimming Association, today celebrated the completion of the first Singapore Sports Hub facility - the OCBC Aquatic Centre.

Graced by past and present Singapore swimmers including the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic quartet - David Lim, Oon Jin Teik, Ang Peng Siong and Oon Jin Gee, the current national teams for swimming, water polo, synchronised swimming and diving, as well as OCBC Bank beneficiaries from Regent Secondary School, the landmark event saw both athletes and members of the community take to the waters at the OCBC Aquatic Centre for the first time.

Members of the public can also experience the facility from next month, as the OCBC Aquatic Centre undergoes a series of soft events before it becomes fully operational.

Mr. Philippe Collin Delavaud, CEO, SportsHub Pte Ltd, said the completion of the OCBC Aquatic Centre marks one of many signifciant milestones as the Singapore Sports Hub prepares for its public launch later in the year.

"It has been a long and exciting road leading up to this point. Our vision for the Singapore Sports Hub to be a place for everyone - from athletes to everyday Singaporeans - is finally coming to life. It is inspiring to see swimming legents and members of the community come together to enjoy sports such as diving and synchronised swimming. We are certain that with events such as the SEA Swimming Championships and Singapore Swim Stars taking place this year, we can expect not just great swim meets but also an avenue for Singapores to get involved in the sport and fringe activities that will be built around them," explained Mr. Delavaud.

OCBC Bank Chairman, Dr. Cheong Choong Kong, said, "The OCBC Aquatic Centre will play host to major international meets and top competitive swimmers. And it won't be just the OCBC Aquatic Centre, but the rest of the Singapore Sports Hub as well, including the OCBC Arena, that will be ablaze with sports events featuring well-known names from all over the world. We welcome this, and it's great to be part of it. But what excites us more than anything else is what the OCBC Aquatic Centre and OCBC Arena will offer the community. There's a clear understanding between us and the Sports Hub that our sponsorship money will go largely towards funding events and activities that members of the community can participate in - not just the professional and the accomplished, but anyone. The OCBC Aquatic Centre and OCBC Arena will be a place for families and communities to come together - to play and compete, or juts watch and cheer."

Jeffrey Leow, President of the Singapore Swimming Association, said: "Singapore Swimming Association is very excited that we now have a brand new world-class facility to call our 'home'. Housed in the OCBC Aquatic Centre of the Singapore Sports Hub, this facility offers a full-range of aquatic facilities built to FINA international standards and will benefit our athletes in their high performance training. We are also looking to bring in more world-class events to Singapore beginning with the Southeast Asian Swimming Championships in June, Swim Stars in September, the FINA Wrold Cup in November this year and FINA World Juniors next year sometime in late August."

SEA SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

The TYR 2nd Southeast Asian Swimming Championships 2014 presented by Yakult will see over 200 of the best athletes in the ASEAN region competing in four aquatic disciplines of swimming, diving, water polo and synchronised swimming from 14 to 26 June 2014.

This is a historic event as it will be the first ever international competitoin that will be held at the new OCBC Aquatic Centre. This will be a fantastic preview of the line-up as well as what to expect for the SEA Games 2015, which will be hosted in Singapore.

SINGAPORE SWIM STARS

Held from 5-7 September, the Singapore Swim Stars boasts a programme that includes an unprecedented competition format involving some of the world's best swimmers, a synchronised swimming showcase as well as swimming clinics conducted by the swimmers and an open water event for the community.

TICKETING DETAILS

Tickets to the TYR 2nd SEA Swimming Championships presented by Yakult and Singapore Swim Stars will be sold via www.sportshubtix.sg