Dorries was joined by five-time Paralympic gold medallist Ellie Simmonds at the £73 million ($98 million/€87 million) West Midlands facility which will have a capacity for 5,000 spectators during Birmingham 2022. 

"My ambition is to make sure that every child in the UK, whether they grow up in Sunderland or Smethwick, has access to excellent sports facilities," said Dorries.

"This world-class aquatics centre will help do just that.

"Not only will it showcase the talents of some of the greatest swimmers and divers on the planet but its legacy will be its use by people in the West Midlands for generations after the Games.

"Sandwell is a clear example of why the UK bids for major events and why we are so good at hosting them.

"Events like Birmingham 2022 can be a catalyst for levelling up access to sport and culture."

Between July 29, the day after the Opening Ceremony, and August 8, Sandwell Aquatics Centre is set to host 66 medal events, the most of any Birmingham 2022 venue, in diving, swimming and Para swimming competitions.

It is primarily funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Sandwell Council and Sport England.

"It’s amazing to visit the Sandwell Aquatics Centre and to see the fantastic progress that has been made," Simmonds, a member of the Birmingham 2022 Organising Committee Board, said.

"Not only will this be an incredible venue for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games but it will also be a wonderful facility for local people to use for years to come."

Organisers hope that the centre will inspire locals to take up swimming as, according to Public Health England data, the estimated percentage of physically active adults in the Sandwell region is lower than the national average.

A long-term partnership has been put in place with the University of Wolverhampton in a bid to maximise opportunities for staff and students.