The 16-year-old from Pymouth had to swap his usual swim trunks for safety gear as the 2012 Aquatics Centre, designed by architect Zaha Hadid, is still a building site.

"I've never seen a diving pool like it," said Daley, who watched the initial dig at the dive pool 18 months ago.

"The Aquatics Centre looks great inside and out and the dive boards are like waves coming out of the floor.

"Stepping on the dive boards has given me even more motivation to train and work hard towards getting back here in 2012."

He also laid a tile in the 50 metre competition pool with disability swimmer Louise Watkin, 18, of Merstham.

Daley added to his already bulging medal collection, which includes the 2009 10m platform world title, this year with two golds at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.



The special trip organised by the National Lottery to the Olympic Park in Stratford also saw London 2012 hopefuls try out some of the venues.

Olympic bronze medalist gymnast Louis Smith, 21, of Peterborough, became the first athlete to be interviewed in the Olympic Park media centre.

Runner Emily Pidgeon, 21, of Cheltenham, stood on the final straight in the Olympic Stadium while three-time world BMX champion rider Shanaze Reade (pictured), 22, of Crewe, saw the finished track at the Velodrome.



Olympic Delivery Authority chief executive David Higgins said: "The Aquatics Centre is already starting to fulfil its role as a fantastic gateway to the Games at the entrance to the Olympic Park.

"Seeing the World champion stepping out on the unique Zaha Hadid designed dive boards for the first time gives a real sense of the sporting stage the venue will be in 2012 and its legacy.

"After the Games everybody will have a chance to emulate Tom Daley and other athletes when the diving and swimming facilities open for a full range of elite and community use."

The Aquatics Centre, complete with its 160m long wave-shaped roof, will be where the swimming, diving, synchronised swimming and the swimming discipline of the Modern Pentathlon will be held at the London 2012 Games.


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September 2010: Foster lays first tile at London 2012 Aquatics Centre
April 2010: Water poured into pools to test London 2012 Aquatics Centre
November 2009: Roof for London Aquatics Centre lifted into place
June 2009: Half-way reached on London 2012 Aquatics Centre roof
May 2009: Adlington leads visit to London 2012 Aquatics Centre