SWIMMERS at York’s newest sports centre shared the water with a double Commonwealth champion and Olympic athlete.

Chris Cook was at Energise in Cornlands Road to officially open the £6.5 million centre and to inspire others to follow in his wake.

He brought along one of his two gold medals from the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games to show youngsters how their pool sessions could lead them to international gold.

The 30-year-old reigning 50m and 100m breast-stroke Commonwealth champion, from South Shields, said: “These facilities are state of the art.”