With only 100 days to go before the Commonwealth Games, local and and Olympic divers and swimmers joined Birmingham 2022 officials to test out brand new facilities ahead of the Games this summer.

With just over 3 months remaining until the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games begin, Paralympic swimmers and an Olympic diver tested out the new 75 million pound facilities at the newly completed Sandwell Aquatics Centre.

The brand new Sandwell Aquatic Centre venue is ready for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Lensi Photography
The brand new Sandwell Aquatic Centre venue is ready for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

The brand-new, state-of-the-art venue has been constructed in time for this summer’s major multi-sport event, where it will be in operation for all eleven days of sporting action. Once the Games is over it will be converted to a community leisure facility, so local club swimmers also joined yesterday’s milestone celebrations to test out the main 50m pool.

Birmingham 2022 organisers of the Games which will see around 4,500 athletes from 72 nations and territories compete in 19 different sports and eight Para sports, also marked the 100-day milestone with a final major release of tickets, with seats for every single sport back on sale.

Local swimmers from Oldbury Swimming Club test the waters at Sandwell Aquatics Centre Lensi Photography
Local swimmers from Oldbury Swimming Club test the waters at Sandwell Aquatics Centre
Paralympian swimmer Will Perry testing the new facilities at Sandwell Aquatics Centre Lensi Photography
Paralympian swimmer Will Perry testing the new facilities at Sandwell Aquatics Centre

Paralympic swimming legend Ellie Simmonds, who is also a Birmingham 2022 board member, visited the centre on Tuesday and highlighted why this was such a key moment for the Games: “With 100 days to go until the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games begin, it is fantastic news that the Sandwell Aquatics Centre is now complete, and it is amazing to be back here to see the finished facility.

“This is an important and proud moment for everyone associated with Birmingham 2022 and having swimmers and divers in the pools for the very first time makes the Games feel real.

“We’ve also taken this opportunity to put tickets back on sale, but for sports like aquatics, which has been hugely popular during our ballots and general sale, tickets are limited, so I’d urge everyone to secure their seat right now.”

Ellie Simmonds, retired swimming Paralympian and Board Member of Birmingham 2022, holds up a plaque advertising ticket sales, commonwealth gamesLensi Photography
Ellie Simmonds, retired swimming Paralympian and Board Member of Birmingham 2022, holds up a plaque advertising ticket sales

 

(L-R): Ian Reid, CEO of Birmingham 2022, with Tony McGovern, Sandwell Council's Director of Regeneration and GrowthLensi Photography
(L-R): Ian Reid, CEO of Birmingham 2022, with Tony McGovern, Sandwell Council’s Director of Regeneration and Growth

The construction of the Sandwell Aquatics Centre, which is located in Smethwick, just a few miles from Birmingham, has been overseen by Sandwell Council and Tony McGovern, Director of Regeneration and Growth.

“We are very proud to celebrate the completion of the state-of-the-art Sandwell Aquatics Centre in Smethwick,” McGovern said.

“This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our construction partners, who worked diligently throughout the project and a global pandemic to complete this venue on time and on budget.

“We are incredibly excited to be part of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, which will be a once in a lifetime opportunity to celebrate Sandwell on a global stage as the proud host venue for the swimming, Para swimming and diving events for the Games.

Tony McGovern at the new Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Aquatics Centre in SandwellLensi Photography
Tony McGovern at the new Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Aquatics Centre in Sandwell

“We want the whole community in Sandwell and beyond to benefit from the world-class swimming and diving facilities at this fantastic new facility. More than that, the new Aquatics Centre is supporting our vision to boost the health and wellbeing of our communities, driving economic growth and regeneration, and improving transport links.”

Government Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said: “It is fantastic that with 100 days to go, Sandwell Aquatics Centre is ready for competition – completed on time and within budget.

The venue is just one of the ways in which Birmingham 2022 will level up access to sport and champion the best of the West Midlands to the world. It is not too late to snap up tickets for this sporting spectacular.”

The new state-of-the-art facilities at Sandwell Aquatics Centre will play a key role in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Lensi Photography
The new state-of-the-art facilities at Sandwell Aquatics Centre will play a key role in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

Dame Louise Martin said: “As we reach the final sprint, Birmingham and the West Midlands should be enormously proud of all the Games progress to date. The Sandwell Aquatics Centre is an impressive, world-class, community-focused facility and I’ve no doubt all remaining tickets will be in high demand when they go back on sale today.”

Deborah Cadman, Chief Executive at Birmingham City Council, said: “We’ve come so far over the last four years since Birmingham was named as Proud Host City for the Commonwealth Games.

“The hard work put in by everyone involved is clear to see and the finishing touches are now being made to ensure the city and wider region are a perfect platform to bring people together for the biggest event to be staged in our history.

“This is our chance to be bold and deliver a golden decade of opportunities for Birmingham.”

Team England Diver Dan Goodfellow demonstrates his skills at Sandwell Aquatics Centre Lensi Photography
Team England diver Dan Goodfellow demonstrates his skills at Sandwell Aquatics Centre

 

Local swimmers from Oldbury testing out the new facilities at Sandwell Aquatics Centre ahead of Birmingham 2022Lensi Photography
Local swimmers from Oldbury testing out the new facilities at Sandwell Aquatics Centre ahead of Birmingham 2022

Now that the Sandwell Aquatics Centre has been completed, the facility will stage a couple of events ahead of the Games. O

n 30 April a community swimming gala will be overseen at the venue by Sandwell Council and then from 20 May to 22 May Birmingham 2022 will stage a series of test events including swimming and diving training sessions, and a swimming competition where tickets will be allocated to local residents and the swimming community.

Tickets for every single sport at Birmingham 2022 went back on sale at 8am on 19 April, with prices starting from £8 for under 16s and £15 for adults. Go to birmingham2022.com/tickets to find out more and check availability.

(Visited 514 times, 1 visits today)