Bermuda could be just two years away from having an Olympic-sized swimming pool after plans were announced in the Throne Speech yesterday to finally get the project under way.

In a major boost for the sport, Governor Sir Richard Gozney announced that the Government would build a swimming complex and dive centre at the National Sports Centre.

And new Sports Minister Glenn Blakeney threw his weight behind the project, saying that getting it completed is one of his main priorities.

"This Government will continue its pursuit of the development of youth through sport," said the Governor.

"Following our commitment to football and cricket, the Ministry of the Environment and Sports will build a swimming complex and dive centre at the site of the National Sports Centre.

"As an Island nation we can be internationally competitive in swimming events and the investment in this facility will further enhance the work of others who have already demonstrated success in this sport

A formal announcement concerning the new pool is expected on Monday, but Tab Froud, the president of the Bermuda Amateur Swimming Association (BASA), said the news was 'absolutely fantastic'.

"Absolutely this one of our main focuses," said Blakeney. "It is our intention to offer a full aquatics programme to the residents of Bermuda.

"This particular sport has been a little low on the radar for a number of years but there is lots of talent here.

"I think Saltus pool has run its course, it has served the swimming community extremely well, but I think it has outgrown itself because of the popularity of the sport.

"These swimmers take the sport very seriously from a young age and I think now we have to empower them, they must be enabled, and to do that they need the resources necessary."

For Froud it seems that after a long time there is finally some light at the end of the tunnel, and the BASA president insisted that it wasn't just swimmers who would benefit.

"This is a milestone for swimming in Bermuda. It's absolutely fantastic and can take the sport in Bermuda to the next level," he said.

"We've been negotiating with the sports ministry for the last ten months on cost and design and we've come to a big understanding with them on that.

"But it's not just about swimming, the pool will help us with sports like water polo and diving as well.

"This can only serve to take sport in Bermuda to the next level and help us produce more Olympians. We're looking at a two-year completion date on the project, which then gives us two years to produce athletes for the next Olympics."

It was noot all good news for sport in the Throne Speech however, with a theme of fiscal prudence throughout much of the Government's approach, a tightening of belts could see certain sports lose money they had been expecting.

The financial viability in the current economic climate of large projects such as the new national training centre at White Hill are expected to be reviewed in the coming weeks and months.

"There is always flexibility, I'm going to go back and look at [everything] but it is going to be with a view to a prudent re-distribution of allocated funds," said Blakeney.

"And of course we do have a window of opportunity to meet with the Finance Minister and make our recommedantions where we want to allocate funds that we feel are substantiated and required to fullfil our mandate.

"I think it would only be fair to say that acting prudently it [the sports budget] would warrant a revisit, because there are always moving targets, there are always opportunities that warrant a re-prioritising of agenda.

"And with that in mind I would always look to review to make sure we are as prudent as we are moving forward in addressing as many of the challenges we are charged with addressing in a way that is a win-win for all the stakeholders."