Courtesy of Fort Wayne Swim & Wellness Alliance, Inc
Indiana’s rich aquatics history is about to get revved up with a new chapter sure to delight Hoosier swimming fans.
It is already well known that Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, will be serving as the host site for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials this summer. And when USA Swimming recently formalized its agreement with Myrtha Pools, it will be the sixth consecutive time that the world’s leading aquatics manufacturer would be supplying the competition pools for USA Swimming’s marquee event.
And following the trials, one of these world-class Myrtha pools will stay in the Hoosier State, as it will find a permanent home in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Mike Mintenko (Myrtha Pools USA -Director of Sales) says,:
“Myrtha Pools USA is extremely proud to play a role in the success of aquatics & wellness in the Fort Wayne region by announcing that the Fort Wayne Swim & Wellness Alliance, Inc. has secured the rights to purchase the 2024 Olympic Trials Competition pool upon conclusion of the competition at Lucas Oil Stadium in June. State of the art facilities are a key pillar in the positive outcomes associated with all facets of aquatics. The legacy of the Olympic Trials event will live on in the swimming community in Fort Wayne, and its impact will be felt for decades to come. We have seen a positive community & economic impact in other towns that have purchased past Olympic Trials pools over the past 20 years, and we see great potential for Fort Wayne. This facility will be a tremendous asset for Fort Wayne and Northeast Indiana.”
The Fort Wayne Swim and Wellness Alliance, Inc. has secured the main competition pool from the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, and they intend to use it to anchor a new health-focused aquatics & wellness facility. The details for the Fort Wayne project are still being finalized, but the most recent plans show two bodies of water, featuring the 50-meter competition pool from Trials, along with a smaller, zero entry pool. This facility will improve access to water safety, therapy, aquatic exercise, and swimming lessons for the entire community.
The U.S. Olympic Swim Trials will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, from June 15-23, and will be televised on the NBC networks. Immediately following the competition, the pools will be drained, disassembled, and loaded into secure shipping containers. The competition pool will then be transported to Fort Wayne, Indiana, to await construction of its permanent home.
“Fort Wayne Swim & Wellness Alliance, Inc. is extremely excited about bringing this historic Olympic Trials pool to Fort Wayne. Our vision is to bring a complete aquatic and wellness facility to Fort Wayne. This facility will provide desperately needed pool space to meet the growing demand for swim lessons and water safety programs, as well as space for the area’s rapidly growing competitive swim & dive teams in our area. We also see this space enabling more extensive aquatic exercise programs, including a full range of pre- and post-op aqua-therapy and rehabilitative therapy for injuries and medical procedures. This facility will help improve community health & wellness, increase water safety training, and expand access to aquatic programs and competitions.”
“This new facility will feature the 2024 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials pool, which will allow Fort Wayne to attract major regional and national competitions. Larger events often draw over 1000 families per weekend, who will need to stay in Fort Wayne,” said John Gibson, President of Fort Wayne Swim & Wellness Alliance, Inc.. “Plus, swimmers are voracious eaters, so area restaurants better stock up when we have a competition in town!”
“Indiana Tech is proud to partner with Fort Wayne Swim & Wellness Alliance on the effort to bring an Olympic-level swim and dive facility to Fort Wayne,” said Dr. Karl Einolf, President of Indiana Tech. “The university has been developing plans to add men’s and women’s swim and dive teams, and the addition of the U.S. Swimming Trials pool to our region brings these plans closer to reality. All of us at Indiana Tech look forward to continuing our work with Fort Wayne Swim & Wellness and its many community partners to establish a great facility here in the near future.”
“Visit Fort Wayne eagerly anticipates the positive impact the Olympic Trials pool will bring to Fort Wayne and Allen County’s strong local swim community,” said Jessa Campbell, Director of Destination Development and Communications at Visit Fort Wayne. “As outlined in our Tourism Master Plan – a 10-year vision advancing tourism, we support sports tourism products and initiatives that enhance our facility offerings and complement community swimming programs. The inclusion of the Olympic Trials pool will help expand Visit Fort Wayne’s work to prospect swimming events and propels us towards elevating our community to host a greater array of regional and national competitions. This exciting addition opens doors to amplify Fort Wayne and Allen County’s community swimming profile.”
“Turnstone Center for Children and Adults with Disabilities, an Olympic & Paralympic Training Site, is proud to endorse the Fort Wayne Swim & Wellness Alliance’s initiative to establish a premier aquatics facility in Fort Wayne,” said Mike Mushett, CEO, Turnstone. “This facility represents a significant step forward in increasing accessibility and inclusivity for athletes of all abilities while also positioning our community as a prime location for major Olympic and Paralympic-related competitions and programs. We are committed to collaborating closely with the Alliance to realize this vision, further enhancing active, healthy lifestyles for everyone in our community.”
Mike Mintenko went on to say “The previous four U.S. Swimming Trials meets were held in Omaha, Neb. A larger venue in Indianapolis affords more fans the opportunity to see the meet in person, and brings the event back to the state which has hosted the most previous Trials meets – five of them, all in Indianapolis.
Essential to the growth of the Trials event is Myrtha’s construction flexibility. The modular stainless steel panel system allows for a speedy installation inside arenas and stadiums while meeting the demanding dimensional tolerances of swimming’s global governing bodies. All of that makes famed arenas and stadiums excellent hosts for the top events featuring Myrtha technology in temporary settings.
A variety of patriotic aquatic partners led by Myrtha’s own experienced technicians will ensure that the ambitious project inside Lucas Oil Stadium is a success.”
Fort Wayne Swim & Wellness Alliance, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that was started by Fort Wayne Swim Team Coaches, John Gibson and Ben Sutton, and team parents, Brian Hench, Dave Jankowski and Mike Snyder. The organization is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the community through aquatics.
Myrtha Pools has been SwimSwam partner since 2017.