WHAT A DIVE

Olympic pool where Adam Peaty and Michael Phelps created history is a sorry site after it is abandoned and left to rot

Rio came up with an interesting solution when dismantling the arena

ADAM PEATY made history when he won his first Olympic gold medal at Rio 2016.

But the site of his famous victory quickly fell into disrepair just months on from hosting the Games.

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Rio spent almost £30million on building their Aquatics CentreCredit: Getty
But months after the Games the venue was left to rotCredit: Getty
Stagnant water was left where the pool once stoodCredit: Getty
The stadium was demolished in 2022Credit: Getty Images - Getty
It played host to Adam Peaty's first Olympic Gold medalCredit: Getty
The Scot won Team GB's first swimming gold for 28 years in RioCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Olympic legend Michael Phelps also made history at the siteCredit: Getty Images - Getty
The Aquatics Centre was once a sight to beholdCredit: AP:Associated Press

Peaty, 29, is now a three-time Olympic champion but it was the Rio Games where he became a household name.

His victory in the 100m breaststroke was Team GB's first swimming gold for 28 years.

The Scot won gold in a record-breaking 57.13 seconds before going on to help Team GB win silver in the 4x100m medley.

The Rio Aquatics Centre also played host to a record set by Michael Phelps, who became the first swimmer to reach five finals in the same event - the 200m butterfly.

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He also became the oldest champion in Olympic swimming history at 31-years-old, and it was the venue where he won his 23rd and final gold medal in the 4x100m medley relay.

Yet months on the site where history was made fell became derelict, as Rio organisers quickly abandoned the venue.

Seats were taken out of the 14,997 capacity arena, which cost almost £30million to build.

Stagnant water was left in place of where a 50m pool once stood, and Brazilian media began to label the venue a white elephant.

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It was subsequently stripped piece by piece with the Brazilian army dismantling the pools, and in 2022 some parts of the stadium were donated to Bangu Atlético Clube, a football club based in Rio.

Two years later the building was completely demolished and now lies abandoned like many of the facilities used to host the Games.

Inside abandoned Olympic venues
The Aquatics Centre was stripped bit by bitCredit: Reuters
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Several facilities across the Rio Olympic Park are now derelictCredit: Getty
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