LUMS gets eight-lane, 25-metre-long swimming pool

Facility said to be the first-ever approved by FINA in country.

LAHORE: An internationally recognised, state-of-the-art swimming facility has been opened at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). The aquatic centre will become operational this week for students, faculty, staff as well as the alumni.

The inauguration ceremony of the Coca Cola-sponsored facility was held at the university on Tuesday, where Brian Smith and Zoran Vucinic, regional presidents of the beverages company, were the chief guests.

They were welcomed at LUMS by Pro-Chancellor Syed Babar Ali, Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Sohail Naqvi and Rector Abdul Razak Dawood.

After the inauguration, the attendees visited the eight lane, 25-metre-long indoor swimming facility, which is said to be the first-ever such facility in the country approved by the Fédération Internationale de Natation Amateur (FINA).

Dr Sohail believed the aquatic centre would become certified for national and international water sports competitions and serve as a centre stage for the university to develop teams for swimming, water polo and other aquatic sports.

The soft drinks company has previously supported LUMS in a number of ways, including setting up an endowment fund to sponsor financially disadvantaged students.

One such student, Sikander Wattoo, has gone on to graduate from the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University, USA with the support under this programme.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 5^th, 2017.