A signing ceremony is held at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Aquatic Sports Arena on Feb 5. [Photo/WeChat account: qjshijicheng]

A signing ceremony was held at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Aquatic Sports Arena on Feb 5, designating it as the training base of the Zhejiang Provincial Swimming Team.

Last year, during the Hangzhou Asian (Para) Games, the arena hosted a variety of water sports, including swimming, diving, and synchronized swimming. With top-notch facilities and services, it was one of the most popular venues at the time.

The Zhejiang swimming team achieved remarkable success on their home turf, clinching 14 gold, seven silver, and three bronze medals. They also shattered five Asian records, three Asian Games records, and two national records, marking their best-ever performance.

The collaboration between the Zhejiang swimming team and the swimming pool signified a milestone in the development of the aquatic facility, unlocking new potential after the Games.

Future collaborations between the two parties will focus on competitions, talent cultivation, and daily training. The pool aims to provide a safe and comfortable environment, offering state-of-the-art facilities and impeccable services to help the team achieve glory once more at the upcoming Paris Olympics.

Wang Shun trains at the arena. [Photo/IC]

Olympic champions Wang Shun and Ye Shiwen, along with world champions Xu Jiayu and Wu Qingfeng, surprised everyone at the event. In preparation for the Paris Olympics, the star athletes decided to forgo the ongoing World Championships in Doha, choosing instead to stay with the provincial team.

"We have beautiful memories of the Asian Games in this arena. Training here will continue to inspire us and ignite more passion," Wang Shun said.

Going forward, crucial training sessions for the Zhejiang swimming team, especially high-intensity sessions leading up to major competitions, will be relocated to the arena in an effort to leverage the facility's optimal conditions and help athletes quickly acclimate to their best conditions.

A bird's-eye view of the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Aquatic Arena. [Photo provided to ehangzhou.gov.cn]