Although the grand opening is scheduled for May, the newly-named Danube Aquatics Arena played host to some of Hungary’s finest swimmers.

Among them was triple Rio 2016 Olympic gold medallist Katinka Hosszú, who inaugurated the first pool after being handed the keys to the Arena by Budapest Mayor István Tarlós.

She was joined by 200 metres butterfly world champion László Cseh, London 2012 200m breaststroke gold medallist Dániel Gyurta and former 400m freestyle world short-course champion Péter Bernek.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had earlier welcomed FINA executive director Cornel Mărculescu and FINA vice-president Tamás Gyárfás to his office in Parliament.

Miklós Seszták, Minister of National Development in Orbán’s cabinet and chairman of the Organising Committee for the 2017 FINA World Championships, was also present at the meeting.

Mărculescu praised the constructors of the venue, which has taken less than two years to build.  

"I’ve never witnessed something similar in the past, to deliver a construction like this on such a short term," the former Romanian water polo player said.

"To tell the truth, when I’m here, I don’t feel I’m in a swimming pool.

"This place is much more than just a pool.

"It’s a masterpiece; a perfect setting for the World Championships in the summer."

A testing period is due to take place before the complex opens all of its doors, but the Olympic-sized warm-up pool is ready to welcome the swimmers for practice.

Government Commissioner Balázs Furjes announced that the complex previously known as the Dagály Aquatics Arena has been named the Danube Aquatics Arena.

It pays homage to the Danube River, the second-longest in Europe and which flows through the Hungarian capital. 

Budapest stepped in to stage the event after original hosts, Mexican city Guadalajara, pulled out due to fears over falling oil prices in 2015.

The city was initially due to stage the 2021 edition, since been awarded to Fukuoka in Japan.

Furjes recalled the trust that FINA put in Hungary when it re-allocated the 2017 event to Budapest.

"We proved once more that International Federations could rely on us, Hungarians, as we are keeping our promises," he said.

"Few would have believed last May, when we laid down the cornerstone here, that we would be ready on time, or now let me say, two months before the deadline set, while keeping the cost plans."

Today’s event was held amid increasing uncertainty surrounding Budapest’s bid for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, where the Danube Aquatics Arena would be used as one of the venues.

Furjes, the chairman of Budapest 2024, has said here that a final decision on whether the bid will continue is still a few weeks away.

He admitted yesterday that the city's efforts to stage the Games might be coming to an end after a political movement gathered more than 250,000 signatures to trigger a referendum on it.

He has now offered more hope that Budapest may remain in a race which also includes Los Angeles and Paris.

The 2017 FINA World Championships are scheduled to be held from July 14 to 30.