The Centro Acuático CODE Metropolitano has been transformed to stage the World Taekwondo Championships ©ITG

Organisers of this year’s World Taekwondo Championships are keen to prove that it is possible to stage the event at an aquatics venue after it underwent a transformation.

The Centro Acuático CODE Metropolitano is set to host its biggest event since staging the swimming and diving competitions at the Guadalajara 2011 Pan American Games.

But it will be the world's best taekwondo fighters rather than swimmers and divers that will be battling it out next week.

While the diving platforms remain visible on one side of the arena, the main 50-metre swimming pool has been covered by five taekwondo courts.

There is also an indoor taekwondo warm-up area, situated next to a swimming pool, and an outdoor training facility where fighters have been gearing up before competition gets underway on Monday (November 14).

"There is a lot of expectation around the venue," Gabriel Ramos Rodriguez, director of the Guadalajara 2022 Organising Committee, told insidethegames.

"This is an aquatics centre so people are wondering how we can cover the pool and I don’t think they could imagine how we could do it."

Ramos Rodriguez admitted the decision to host the event at the Centro Acuático CODE Metropolitano was also a way of saving money.

"When we started doing the planning for the Championships, we had different options," said Ramos Rodriguez.

"The first was to do everything in a temporary stadium but [as] it was the competition was too long to do that set-up.

"The other option was to take this decision to cover the pool and use this swimming facility which is already built so we can use the office space, the floors and stands that are here.

"It was a better solution.

"We did a business plan and set a budget.

"We thought we could either do everything temporarily or just cover this pool and in the end this is more cost-effective and helps to bring to life an existing venue.

"It shows the innovative way you can use the venue.

"That’s why we took that decision, and we are happy with that."

Guadalajara is preparing to host its biggest sporting event since staging the 2011 Pan American Games ©Getty Images
Guadalajara is preparing to host its biggest sporting event since staging the 2011 Pan American Games ©Getty Images

Ramos Rodriguez has vowed to deliver a "clean" and "very professional" event to ensure athletes can perform at their best.

"The local staff are very excited to host this event here in Guadalajara for the first time," added Ramos Rodriguez.

"This is a very important sport for Mexico and we have a new generation of athletes so the people here are looking forward to seeing how these athletes are going to perform in the competition."

Guadalajara is scheduled to stage the World Taekwondo Championships from November 14 to 20.