The £20 million Aquatic Centre was today named as one of a select group of sporting venues nationwide chosen by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) for inclusion in its Pre Games Training Camp Guide.

The Guide, which will be published in Beijing, will act as a showcase for top sporting facilities capable of hosting either visiting teams or individual athletes preparing for the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Welcoming the news, Sunderland City Council Leader, Cllr Bob Symonds said: "This is a fantastic coup for Sunderland and the region and we're looking forward to showcasing Sunderland Aquatic Centre’s superb facilities to global audiences.

"This is confirmation of the world class facilities on offer at the Sunderland Aquatic Centre, not just for top athletes but first and foremost for local people.

"We hope local people will be inspired by the Aquatic Centre’s inclusion in the Pre-Games Training Camp Guide to come and try out its fantastic facilities for themselves when it opens to the public on April 18 and to attend the free outdoor celebration on the evening of April 17 organised to mark its opening."

Judith Rasmussen, regional director for Sport England North East, said: "The guide highlights a number of great facilities available to communities across the North East. It’s a tribute to Sport England investment through lottery and club development funds and fantastic news for the region with a staggering 19 training facilities selected to appear in the guide. In playing host to Olympic athletes we will in turn raise the profile of the region giving us with the opportunity to showcase North East sport to global audiences."

Tanni Grey–Thompson, 11-times Paralympic Gold medallist, said: "Congratulations to Sunderland Aquatic Centre and to all those that have made it into the Guide. An athlete’s preparation for the Games in terms of acclimatisation is very important so it is great that there will be a wide choice of venues that countries can choose from to get ready for London 2012 – from all over the UK.

"The facilities here look very impressive and could attract a wide selection of teams, bringing a boost to the local economy, and also a chance to set up sporting and cultural exchanges with the visiting teams."

The Sunderland Aquatic Centre, which is being developed by Sunderland City Council next to the city’s Stadium of Light, will open its doors to the public on April 18.

The venue will be the first 50 metre pool in the North East and the only one between Leeds and Edinburgh.

It will also be the most environmentally friendly pool in the country – filtering and recycling every single drop of water which falls on its roof for re-use in the pool.

With a 10-lane 50-metre main pool, a 25-metre diving pool and seating for 500 spectators the Sunderland Aquatic Centre has the ability to cater for high profile national and regional swimming competitions.

In addition its moveable floors, which can vary the water depth from anywhere between 0 to 2 metres in the main pool and 0 to 4 metres in the diving pool, make it as suitable for toddlers learning to swim as talented swimmers.

And the clever design of the building is such that the 50 metre main pool also has a moveable boom, which allows the pool to be divided up to cater for everything from aqua-fit and family fun with inflatables to budding Olympians - all at the same time.

Designed by Red Box Design Group and built by Balfour Beatty, the Aquatic Centre will also be one of the most accessible swimming pools in the country, trailblazing the latest disabled accessible features which mean that everyone will be able to take advantage of its superb facilities.

It will also boast a state of the art wellness centre, delivered in partnership with the city's Teaching Primary Care Trust, where people prescribed exercise by their GPs will be able to take advantage of some of the most advanced technogym equipment in the country, alongside regular gym users.

Sunderland Aquatic Centre has been funded by Sunderland City Council, Sport England, European Regional Development Fund, One NorthEast, TyneWear Partnership, Sunderland arc and the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund.

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last updated 25/03/08