2012 Olympics aquatics pools filled for first time

The Olympic aquatics centre — billed as the architectural gem of the Olympic Park — is beginning to take shape.

The three pools in the £300 million complex are being filled with 10 million litres of water for testing before 180,000 tiles are fitted.

The Olympic Delivery Authority expects the pool to be completed in a year.

Designed by Anglo-Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid, its stingray-shaped roof was recently assembled at ground level and lifted into position in potentially the most problematic phase.

Water resistant timber from Brazil will be used to clad the inside of the roof and 37 giant lighting pods to illuminate the 2012 action for HDTV will soon be installed.

The Standard was given exclusive access to the site, climbing into the steel and aluminium roof for a bird's eye view of the aquatics area.

Aligned end-to-end, there is a 50-metre warm-up pool, a 50-metre competition pool and a diving pool.

The centre has been scaled back to reduce costs and make it more compatible with its surroundings.

The northern end of the roof meets a £60 million pedestrian bridge which will serve as the main gateway to the Olympic Park for passengers arriving at Stratford station.

For its legacy, about 13,000 temporary seats will be removed to leave a 2,500 capacity venue for community and competitive use.

Moveable floors and dividers in the two 50-metre pools will make them adaptable for swimmers of all ages. Wave machines and flumes may be added later.

Olympics chiefs hope the facilities, which will rival pools in Manchester and Sheffield, will modernise swimming in London.

London clubs have been under-represented at the Olympics in recent decades and the capital's best divers have to travel to Sheffield to train.