Northern Cyprus' Olympic Pool Ready for 2028 Olympics

The renovation of the “Near East University Olympic Swimming Pool” is complete and it will open its doors on December 19th with its renewed and modern structure! The Near East Olympic Swimming Pool, which has athletes who have passed the Turkish national swimming team threshold in many age groups, will train elite athletes who aim to participate in the Olympics.

Located on the Near East University campus and the first and only Olympic indoor swimming pool in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), the “Near East University Olympic Swimming Pool” will be put back into service on December 19 after the completion of extensive renovation work. Known as the pioneer of swimming in the TRNC since its opening in 1997, the facility is preparing to meet swimming enthusiasts once again.

The only Olympic pool in Northern Cyprus, which has trained nearly 15 thousand professional and amateur swimmers with the swimming programs it has organized to date, will continue its mission of training athletes who will successfully represent the country in domestic and international swimming competitions by serving a wide audience from swimming clubs to primary and high school students.

The 50x21 meter Olympic swimming pool has the infrastructure to host national and international competitions with its capacity for 1.000 spectators and tower diving opportunities. The pool, which has a central heating system and is open 12 months a year, will provide training with scientific methods to participants of all ages who are interested in swimming. Moreover, not only swimming but also health services will be provided with rehabilitation-oriented programs such as kinetotherapy. The Near East University Olympic Swimming Pool will be managed by experienced swimming coach Avni Cankurt, who draws attention with the athletes he trained at the national team level.

A fitness center equipped with special equipment for swimming will also be opened.

Following the renovations, the services offered by the facility are also expanding. The fitness center that will be opened in the facility is equipped with special equipment for swimming. The fitness center, which will provide special training opportunities for swimmers of all ages, will allow parents to do their sports while their children swim. The Kaffo, which will be located right at the entrance to the Near East University Olympic Swimming Pool, will offer athletes and their families a comfortable area where they can socialize.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hakan Atamtürk: “Our goal is to turn swimming into a lifestyle for all age groups while training elite swimmers with scientific methods.”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hakan Atamtürk, Head of the Near East University Health, Culture and Sports Department, said that the Near East University Olympic Swimming Pool is counting the days to reopen its doors to amateur and professional swimmers with its equipped infrastructure strengthened by the completed renovation works, and said, “Our goal is to turn swimming into a lifestyle for all age groups while training elite swimmers with scientific methods.”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Atamtürk said, “We have the necessary infrastructure and expert instructor staff to raise the champions of the future,” and added, “While we offer programs open to individuals of all ages to support healthy living, we also see creating a safe and productive environment for our students and youth as one of our priorities.”

Reminding that the NEU Sports Academy, which they established with the aim of directing future elite athletes to the right sports branch with professional needs analyses, physical fitness tests, psychological assessment tests and genetic sports tests applied for the first time in the country, operates in many branches, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hakan Atamtürk, Head of the Health, Culture and Sports Department of Near East University, said, “With the opening of our pool, we will train elite swimmers at a level that can participate in the Olympics with our sports psychologist, professional fitness center and many scientific methods, especially genetic tests.”