Swimmers and coaches from the Israel national team lauded the New Clark City (NCC) Aquatics Center in Tarlac, citing world-class facilities and exceptional swimming pools that are instrumental in their preparation for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
The 17-man team began their preparations for the upcoming competition using facilities at the NCC on Saturday, July 17.
This is the first time that the Aquatics Centers is hosting an event since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country and the enforcement of community lockdowns.
"I traveled all around the world and saw thousands of aquatic complexes. New Clark City's facility is among the best in the world," David Marsh, former US Olympics swimming coach and professional adviser of the Israeli team, said.
Swimmers from the Israeli team were likewise impressed with the swimming center.
"It's a really nice pool with nice surrounding views. And the bright color of the pool makes it look even better. More importantly, I like how the pool is really fast. Thank you for having us here!" Andrea Murez, swimmer for the 100-meter Freestyle, said.
"It's one of the best pools I've ever seen. Good view, good weather. It's definitely high quality. I would like to come here again someday," Itay Godfaded, representative for the 4x100-meter Mixed Medley Relay, added.
Based Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President and Chief Executive Officer Vince Dizon said the event will not only boost the Filipinos' confidence in NCC's world-class facilities, but also "showcase the capability of the country to recover from the pandemic."
“We are thrilled yet humbled at the same time to host our friends from Israel in New Clark City’s first-ever sports bubble. Israel is one of the leading countries in the world for COVID-19 vaccination and response. So, for their athletes, coaches and officials to have the confidence to train in our country and at the Aquatics Center – that is truly a blessing,” Dizon said during a visit to the swimming facility.
The Israeli team's bubble training comes after BCDA and Clark Development Corp.'s hosting of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup in 2020, the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers in June, and recently the PhilCycling National Trials for Road, which were all held inside the Clark Freeport Zone.