THE GRAND unveiling of the council’s £26 million leisure complex complete with London’s first ‘ninja run’ has been given the Olympic seal of approval.

Taekwondo star, Lutalo Muhammad, returned to his old stomping ground today (September 29) to open the “landmark” Waltham Forest Feel Good Centre, in Chingford Road, Walthamstow.

Lutalo, who excruciatingly lost out on gold in Rio in the dying seconds, winning the hearts of the nation in the process, used to come to the old centre as a young teenager.

The silver medallist admitted he was not much of a swimmer so would usually stick to beating his personal best on the track.

He said: “My mum used to time my sprints when it was just a pool and track.”

“It was around ten or nine seconds for 100 metres, I think it used to be,” he said with a smile.

Among the facilities hoping to beat a child’s boredom is the 9.9 metre climbing walls, an adventure zone set across four levels, a three-tiered play kingdom for children under five and a mini-trampoline park.

Before Lutalo got to grips with the trampoline section, he said it was mad to return a decade to later to find his old run-down gym had turned into a “world-class facility”.

He added: “I’m fortunate enough to train in a world-class facility for my job, but I come here and see some of the same things.

“I’m extremely jealous of any young child who is into sport in Walthamstow right now because they have access to this amazing facility.

"Even if they don’t have Olympic aspirations like I did, if you’re just into sport there’s no better place.”

Elsewhere in the centre is a 25 metre, eight-lane competition pool, teaching pool, four-court sports hall, two studios overlooking the track, a new 132-station gym and changing facilities.

Outside the centre is a new floodlit artificial sports pitch and a revamped track and field, brought up to county competition standard for the first time in decades.

A preview weekend is offering guests the chance to book free taster sessions on Saturday and Sunday (October 1-2), before it opens to the public on Monday (October 3).