The Aquatics Palace of the Volga Region State University of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism was recently visited by an international delegation, including Leonz Eder, President of the International University Sports Federation (FISU), and Jürg Burri, the Swiss Ambassador. They were accompanied by Sergey Kryukov, President of the Russian Student Sports Union, and Khalil Shaikhutdinov, First Deputy Minister of Sport of Tatarstan.
Mikhail Smolkin, Director of the Aquatics Palace, led a tour of the facility and showcased its infrastructure.
The Aquatics Palace is one of the most high-tech sports venues in Russia. Its pools meet Olympic standards, enabling the facility to host the most prestigious international competitions in swimming, synchronized swimming, water polo, and diving.
“The Aquatics Palace is one of the gifts the 2013 Universiade bestowed upon the university, and as you can see, we have kept it in excellent condition,” noted Rafis Burganov while presenting the facility to the guests. “World records have already been set here. But the most significant legacy is that, before the Universiade, we could send only a handful of athletes to the FINA Swimming World Cup stages; today, more than a hundred athletes from Tatarstan participate.
In general, following the Universiade, the best facilities were handed over to the university to foster student sports. However, we are training more than just athletes—we are preparing coaches and physical education teachers. By training at these venues, young professionals become directly involved in organizing competitions and sports management, working side-by-side with industry experts.”
For his part, Leonz Eder stated that the university is doing an excellent job in fulfilling its mission, engaging both its students and the entire city in sports.
Text: Adelina Khramova
Photo: Pavel Zheleznyak
