Doha College has opened their new swimming pool at the West Bay campus for Doha College primary students. The pool will also serve as a community pool and will be used by Evolution Sports and will also become the home for Freestyle Aquatics — a programme set up to offer swimming for disabled adults and children across Qatar.
Nicholas Hopton, British Ambassador to Qatar, cut the ribbon to officially open the sporting facility. In his opening address he said: “I am delighted to officially open this fantastic swimming pool. This represents not just a school project but also a community project with these facilities being open to a much wider community thanks to Doha College’s vision and commitment to Evolution Sports and Freestyle Aquatics. As one of the leading international schools in the world, Doha College is a shining example of an excellent British school abroad. I would like to thank everyone involved at GAC, Al Rayaan Swimming Pools and of course Doha College for completing this project”
All students will benefit from the swimming pool as it is part of the Doha College’s sporting curriculum. In additional, Evolution Sports will have access to the pool in the evenings which adds to Doha College benefitting the local sporting community. The pool will also become the home of Freestyle Aquatics who offer an opportunity for disabled children and adults to swim. This is as part of Doha College’s CSR programme which will ultimately benefit the lifestyle of Freestyle Aquatic’s students.
Principal of Doha College Mark Leppard said: “Doha College have a commitment to produce all round education to all students. This launch today will allow all West Bay students to have a fully operating swimming pool and swimming programme from Term 3.”
Kathleen Bates, Director of Freestyle Aquatics was at the launch to see their new disabled swimming home. She explained what these facilities mean to her students, “being able to use Doha College’s swimming facilities free of charge means we can now grow our programme and offer swimming access to even more of our students. Swimming has so many benefits for our disabled students. As well as the obvious physical benefits it also improves their emotional health, increases confidence and offers a sense of achievement. Even more important is the social integration that swimming can offer. Being in the water allows our students to feel the same as others, it can change the family dynamics as they share the same activities as family and friends.”
The pool at West Bay is 25 meters, half of an Olympic pool and is set up to offer six lane swimming. It is fully shaded to protect the young students and has an advanced integrated chemical system to ensure it stays clean. Additionally, a chilled and heating system allows the pool to be fully operational throughout the year. Shaded seating and separate male and female changing rooms provide a complete outdoor aquatics centre.
Doha College has a fantastic reputation for its success in swimming and that is evident from Alumni Nada Arkaji who is an Olympic Qatari swimmer. She competed in the summer 2012 Olympics in London and was the first woman from Qatar to compete in the Olympic Games. The Peninsula
