World swimming championships organisers denied on Monday that the temporary pool installed at Rod Laver Arena for this month's event has sprung a leak.

"There was a suspicion of a leak, which was rumoured, but the pool is not leaking," Tony Beddison, chairman of the event's organising committee, said on local radio.

He said divers had checked that the bottom was sound, and miniscule alterations to the length and depth of the pool would continue until the championships start on March 17.

"The pool has to be exactly the correct length to within fractions of a millimetre," Beddison said.

"It's not a thing like a backyard pool that you sort of put it in and it's roughly about right, this is the world championships.

"The measurements are very finite, they're very small and we'll constantly make adjustments right up until the opening next weekend and then the opening ceremony."

The pool, which is undergoing its finishing touches inside the Australian Open tennis tournament's main showcourt, is the largest temporary one ever built. It was transported from Spain in 54 containers. The 12th FINA world championships run from March 17-April 1.

(China Daily via Reuters March 5, 2007)