Other swimmers that saw the wave-shaped 2,800 tonne Aquatics Centre roof taking shape included two of Britain's other medallist from Beijing last summer, Joanne Jackson and David Davies.

Michael Scott, the British Swimming national performance director, hopes the visit will inspire the squad in the build-up to the Olympics.

He said: “Visiting the London 2012 Aquatics Centre has reminded the athletes of their long term goals and we are just about to head off to our national squad training camp which is part of our preparations for the FINA 2009 World Championships in Rome.

“The London 2012 Games may still be three years away but those that made the visit will use this as motivation to make sure they will be there swimming in front of their home crowd in 2012.”

The Aquatics Centre will be the gateway to the Olympic Park and in legacy will provide two 50 metre swimming pools, a diving pool and dry diving area - facilities London does not have at present.

Sebastian Coe, the chairman of London 2012, said: “In three years or so, this Aquatics Centre will be a living, breathing Olympic and Paralympic venue and I hope home to some extraordinary British performances in 2012 and beyond.

"I am sure that seeing the venue – even in these early stages of construction - will inspire our swimmers to greater heights between now and 2012. And after the Games, London will be left with a fantastic swimming facility for both elite and community use – something the city is in desperate need of.”

Thirty pairs of temporary support trestles up to 20 metres high have been put in place to support the huge steel trusses that will form the sweeping wave-shaped roof of the Aquatics Centre, which will be the ‘gateway’ to the Olympic Park during the 2012 Games and in legacy’.

The 2,800 tonne steel roof of the Zaha Hadid designed venue started being lifted into place in March in the toughest engineering and construction challenge of the Olympic Park ‘big build’.

After the 160m long roof is in place, which will be longer than the span of Heathrow Terminal Five, it will be lowered into its permanent position on three concrete supports.

Over 20,000 tonnes of concrete have been poured to complete the southern roof support and both the two 18.5m tall northern roof supports.

David Higgins, the chief executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority, said: “Work on the Aquatics Centre is on track and the sweeping roof that will form the ‘Gateway to the Games’ is already taking shape in the skyline.