Swimming hero lays first tiles at London 2012 Aquatics Centre

More than 180,000 tiles will line the 50m competition, training and diving pools, which have already been tested with 10 million litres of water. In total around 850,000 ceramic tiles will be used inside the venue.

Former world championMark Foster said: ‘It was great to be in the pool where athletes will warm up before winning medals and breaking world records in 2012. The Aquatics Centre will be buzzing during the Games and afterwards will be a fantastic new facility for the Olympic and Paralympic athletes of the future and the local community.’

Work is also underway lining the curved ceiling with more than 30,000 individual sections of timber and on the two 1,600-tonne temporary seating stands that will provide 15,000 seats of the 17,500-seat venue.

Olympic Delivery Authority Chief Executive David Higgins said: ‘Starting tiling of the pools is another milestone towards completing the Aquatics Centre next summer ready for Test Events.’

Read the full media release