Prime Minister Robert Abela inaugurated the first Olympic-sized swimming pool in our country, at the Cottonera Sports Complex.

The swimming pool, constructed through a €14 million investment, is expected to continue playing a pivotal role in elevating the standards of sports in the country. Its location in the South of Malta underscores the government’s intention to ensure widespread benefits throughout the nation.

 Abela highlighted that the investment was not limited to sports infrastructure but also encompassed substantial funding for athlete development, as was evident, the PM said, during the European Small Countries Games. 

This investment is set to persist, with an allocation of €5 million from the Social Fund for National Development dedicated to athlete training and preparation.

Prime Minister Abela concluded by emphasizing the government’s steadfast commitment to supporting sports, aiming to provide equal opportunities for every boy and girl in Malta to dream and turn those dreams into reality.

The swimming pool boasts state-of-the-art technology and includes numerous amenities such as athlete and official dressing rooms, offices, control rooms, spectator stands, and sanitary facilities. The pool’s roof is purposefully designed to enhance aesthetics and is supported by beams spanning up to 44 meters.

Additionally, the facility includes a diving pool on each side measuring 44 square meters, meeting the International Swimming Federation’s requirements.

It is equipped with a water heating and air conditioning system. This Olympic-sized pool spans 5,000 square meters and features cutting-edge technology, including bulkheads to segment the pool for various uses. 

Furthermore, the pool area can be adjusted in height to accommodate diving coaches giving lessons at different depths as needed.

Minister for Education, Sport, Youth, Research, and Innovation, Clifton Grima, expressed his satisfaction with the inclusion of this Olympic-sized pool project in the electoral manifesto. He highlighted it as an excellent opportunity for the aquatic sector in Malta to progress and achieve more success. He also stressed the importance of providing professional training facilities for children, enabling athletes to continue achieving international success.

One of the key pillars of the national sports strategy is sports facilities, and according to SportMalta’s Chief Executive Officer Mark Cutajar, this swimming pool ranks among the country’s top sports facilities. 

SportMalta is committed to ensuring that athletes have access to facilities of the highest standards to help them reach their full potential and compete internationally. This commitment will continue to contribute to the growth of the sports sector in the country.

During the inauguration, young Jayden Cassar, a member of the national water polo team under sixteen, addressed the audience. He expressed the gratitude of Maltese athletes for having such a high-quality pool in the Mediterranean. He emphasized that this project will inspire and attract more children and young people to engage in water sports, providing an excellent opportunity for aquatic sports in Malta to continue progressing and achieving international success. 

Jayden highlighted that local athletes will no longer face the disadvantage of having to train abroad due to the availability of an open swimming pool in Malta. He also envisioned the expansion of sports programs to enable athletes and school students in the surrounding areas to grow and develop.

Prime Minister Robert Abela was accompanied by his wife, Dr. Lydia Abela, who serves as the President of Special Olympics Malta.

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