The competition pool doubles as the diving facility, which has two one-meter and three-meter springboards. The diving/competition pool features three platform towers at heights of five, seven-and-a-half, and 10-meters. It also houses a hot tub and an underwater viewing room where the swimmers are videotaped, enabling the coaching staff to analyze each swimmer’s stroke mechanics. This is one of the fastest pools in the USA at a depth of 17 feet.

The DKAC was constructed in stages with the pool opening in 1978. Other facets of the complex were added later, with construction culminating in 1986. In the summer of 2001, major renovations were made to the diving facilities. Concrete bases were created for the springboards and new platform surfaces and stairs were added. These improvements along with a new warm-up area, provide the UH divers an excellent facility for training and competition. New 6-inch short course lane lines and a top-of-the-line Paragon starting blocks have made swimming at the “Duke” better and faster than ever.

Within the last several years, Olympians Renate DuPlessis, Matthew Kwok, Nick Folker, and Simon Thrisk called the DKAC home.

In addition to the swimming and diving programs, the complex has hosted international swimming meets, the U.S. Olympic Committee Swimming Camp, two Western Athletic Conference Championships, and the U.S. Swimming and Diving Training Camps. The diving pool played host to the Pan American Clipper Cup Diving Meet held in the fall of 1987. Prior to the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, the complex served as a training site for the Olympic teams from the United States, Ireland, Sri Lanka, and Canada.

One of the major events on the calendar is the annual Christmas Swimming Forum. Between 20 and 25 collegiate swimming teams compete and train at the complex every year during the nationally renowned forum. The DKAC also hosted the 2002 U.S. Masters Swimming Championships.

The complex also hosts the Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association’s Swimming Championships and the aquatic competitions of the Hawai‘i State Games.

Major water polo events also take place at the DKAC, including the Annual Hawaiian Invitational each August, the men’s outdoor nationals, the Junior Olympics and Junior National Championships, and the two spring season Rainbow Wahine tournaments: the Aloha Classic and Rainbow Challenge.

The pool stands as a namesake to Hawai‘i’s most legendary swimmer and surfer, Duke Kahanamoku. “The Duke” was the first famous Waikiki beach boy. His passion for water sports included surfing, swimming and canoeing, taking him to the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden. Kahanamoku shocked the world when he broke the 100-yard freestyle event and received his gold medal by an impressed Swede King Gustaf.

At age 34, Duke brought home a silver medal in the 100-meter at the 1924 Olympiad in Paris. He attended the Olympics again in 1932 at the age of 42 with the U.S. water polo team. His death on Jan. 22, 1968, left Hawai‘i missing a hero.