A total of 181 nations have registered for the aquatics showpiece in the Spanish, beating the previous record of 178 countries at the last edition in Shanghai two years ago.

This World Championships, which will be the first to feature high diving events, will see 2,293 athletes competing in swimming, diving, water polo and synchronised swimming across a number of Barclona 1992 Olympic venues, including the Palau Sant Jordi, the Piscina Municipal de Montjuïc and the Piscines Bernat Picornell.

"It is a pleasure to be here in Barcelona once again, which hosted an extraordinary FINA World Championships in 2003," FINA President Julio Maglione told a pre-championships press conference.

"What is going to be a very important attraction at this edition and that is for the first time in the history of these championships is high diving.

"With this discipline on the programme, the FINA World Championships in Barcelona promise to be a great spectacle, held in outstanding and iconic venues."

Barcelona is gearing up to once again host the FINA World Championships, beginning with the Opening Ceremony tomorrow

The television production of the championships will be delivered in high definition by TVE, and coverage of the competition will be broadcast in more than 210 territories.

"We are about to start these World Championships that we prepared with great excitement," Barcelona Mayor Xavier Trias said.

"We have established a challenge, our desire is to organise the best World Championships in history and the city of Barcelona has the capacity to make that possible for many reasons.

"We experienced that when we hosted the FINA World Championships in 2003 and once again Barcelona will shine as the world capital of sports and as a city of culture, knowledge, innovation and well-being."

The Opening Ceremony of the Championships will take place tomorrow with competition running through until August 4.

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