2012 EZ Long Course Champs to be held in ’08 Olympic Trials Pool!

Richmond, VA – In 2008, Myrtha teamed with USA Swimming and the Omaha Sports Commission to bring the sport of swimming to the next level. Over the course of 16 days, Myrtha constructed two 50-meter Olympic-sized pools inside Omaha’s renowned Qwest Center, turning the state-of-the-art facility into a world-class swimming arena.

After the competition came to a close in Omaha, the main competition pool found a permanent home in Richmond, Va. thanks to a partnership with the Greater Richmond Aquatics Partnership (GRAP), a collaboration of five long-standing area organizations including Collegiate School, Poseidon Swimming, Trinity Episcopal School, Richmond Kickers and the Sports Backers. Myrtha’s 50m, eight lane Trials pool is now the centerpiece of GRAP’s new state-of-the-art, 54,000+ square foot facility in Chesterfield, which celebrated its grand opening on March 13, 2012. The Greater Richmond Aquatics Partnership, or GRAP, is Central Virginia’s first world-class aquatics center and through the efforts of many; construction has been completed at GRAP.

The new 54,000 square foot aquatics facility houses the Myrtha pool from the 2008 Olympic trials in Omaha, a 25-yard Myrtha practice pool, a therapy pool, and a fitness center.

The competition pool has traveled over 6,000 miles before reaching its permanent home in Richmond. While being used for the 2008 Olympic trials, in this pool, which is considered among the fastest in the world, America’s top swimmers attained new levels, in addition to achieving 9 world records; 21 national records and 17 U.S. Open records were also set.

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