Reported by Loretta Race.
Construction on the Sandwell Aquatics Centre is complete with the facility set to host aquatic action at the 2022 Commonwealth Games later this summer.
Set about 30 minutes of driving time outside of overall host city Birmingham, the Sandwell Aquatics Centre represents the only entirely new venue across all sports to be used during the Games.
Swimming and diving will be hosted at the venue, with more medal events being conducted at the site than any other facility used within the Games.
According to Birmingham 2022 organizers, after the Games, the venue will be reconfigured, including the removal of the 4,000 temporary seats, and additional leisure facilities will be added before the centre reopens as a community facility in the summer of 2023.
Nearly 300 junior swimmers recently raced at Sandwell as part of a live test event in the 10-lane, 50m pool. Local residents, clubs and fans were able to see live racing in action in the same pool in which superstars from around the world will soon be competing.
Team England’s Swimming team leader Grant Robins says of the anticipation leading up to the Commonwealth Games, “It’s been a long time coming but we’re getting to the point where it’s getting exciting. We can almost touch it, we can almost feel it.
