(ATR) The first Olympic venue to be used in its post-Games legacy, hosted the first sporting event after Rio 2016.
The canoe slalom course located at the Deodoro Olympic Park hosted the Pan-American and South American championships on October 16. Nearly 50 competitors from seven countries took part in competition, according to Rio city hall.
Outside of competition, the canoe-slalom venue has been open to the public as a swimming pool. The pool first opened in December 2014 for the summer, before being closed for final Olympic preparations. In September, the city reopened the pool to the public.
Deodoro is located in the periphery of Rio’s North Zone, far away from the wealthy neighborhoods of the South Zone and Barra da Tijuca. City and Rio 2016 organizers said during construction that the post-Games use would be defined by bringing green space to the area. Around the Rings visited the pool during its first opening and found residents in the area excited over the prospect of a new leisure space.
"It is another recreation for children, for them to leave the street; they will have something to do to be distracted," Indaiá Ferreira, a nursing technician, said. "It draws the street children. Now they will be able to come during summer vacation."
Brazilian kayaker Pedro Henrique Gonçalves was the best Brazilian finisher during the Olympics, and won the Pan-American championship. He told Rio city officials the course was "the best in the world."
"It's a perfect circuit for training and competing," Gonçalves said. "I'm sure we have hidden talents in the communities near the X-Park. With a place like this, a moment of leisure can be the first step towards a sports career."
AOC Elects New Athletes Commission
Three new athletes will be represented on the Australian Olympic Committee athletes commission.
Beijing 2008 pole-vault gold medalist Steve Hooker was appointed chair of the commission. He first became a member following the 2012 Olympics. Rio 2016 rowing gold medalist Kim Brennan was appointed deputy chair.
Eight athletes of the 11 member commission were reelected to their positions. Jessica Fox, canoe-slalom, Shelley Watts, boxing, and Jamie Dwyer, hockey, were elected to the commission for the first time.
"We’ve achieved some great things over the past four years and I think the fact we have a number of athletes returning to the Commission will be great for continuity," Hooker said.
"This will help us with the implementation of those tasks already in the works, such as an athlete-career transition program that will be run by the AOC, while we are also keen to shift our focus to other areas of improvement as well."
Written by Aaron Bauer
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