SYDNEY 2000 OLYMPIC GAMES

As host of the Aquatics program at the Sydney 2000 Olympic & Paralympic Games, the Sydney Aquatic Centre staged the swimming, synchronised swimming, diving, water polo and modern pentathlon events. This totalled 39 aquatic event sessions over 16 days of competition.

Many competition days saw three sessions for the day and unlike other games venues, three different disciplines within the one day.

The Field of Play had 69 layout changes within the 16 days of competition, an enormous feat in itself. Efficient planning and co-ordination amongst all Functional Areas and pro-active rostering allowed the Competition Pool to accomodate all four disciplines for either competition or training within an operational day of 6:00am - 11:30pm.

A total of 367,085 tickets were sold for the Aquatic Centre for the duration of the Games. The Competition Pool brought out the best in the world's champions as demonstrated by the fifteen world records and the 38 Olympic records set in the water over the two week period.

There are a number of events for which we will remember the swimming competition at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, such as Ian Thorpe's superhuman Olympic debut on Day One and Grant Hackett finally taking King Kieren's crown. Australia's first ever diving medals in 75 years and Gold for the women's water polo team also stand out in the unforgettable memories of the sixteen days of the Games.

By now the champions are common knowledge but more complete memories linger. As a tribute to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, the Sydney Aquatic Centre has preserved these memories in a new component of the tour program. Titled the Lane 4 walk, images of the most significant events are displayed amongst a wave of blue, depicting the very pool where it all took place. The Lane 4 walk opened to the public in April, 2001