Bath's role talked up as one-year countdown to Olympics begins
Officials in Bath are confident the city will play a “central role” in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympics, which are today just a year away.
City MP Don Foster, who is a member of the Olympic Board, has pointed to Bath’s two universities as evidence of local involvement, and he is hoping for confirmation in September that the Olympic torch will come through the city on its round-Britain route ahead of the games.
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London Olympics
The University of Bath - which today hosts a two-hour live broadcast by Radio 5 Live - will be home to the British Paralympic Association and the Malaysian Olympic squad for their pre-games training camps.
A string of athletes based at the university will be hoping to compete in the games and the West of England Athlete Support Scheme has provided funding to three athletes from the area to help their preparation - wildwater canoeist Alec Baker, acrogymnast Olivia Britton and judo fighter Liam Ashton Farr.
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Campus director of sport Stephen Baddeley said the university was in talks with other countries’ Olympic associations about bringing more individual teams to the city to train.
Bath Spa University is organising a series of student projects exploring the history and culture of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will involve primary schools.
Mr Foster said: “2012 has already inspired Bath. We’ve already hosted the 2008 UK School Games, have the whole British Paralympic team and many individual Olympic athletes training here and the hugely successful Olympic Art project was based in the city.
“Some 59 local schools are engaged in the Olympic Get Set educational programme, large numbers of local people are training to be volunteers at the games and hundreds more children are joining in sporting activities and learning new sports.
“And there’s more to come with Olympic-inspired music festivals, art projects and – hopefully – a place on the Olympic torch route with images of Bath going round the world to boost tourism.”
Mr Baddeley said of today’s Radio 5 presence - which runs until 9.30am: “Athletes are training at Team Bath across a wide range of sports to compete on the greatest sporting show on earth and today will be a good opportunity for them to talk about their preparations, their hopes and their aspirations.”
The Malaysian badminton team is training in Bath for world badminton championships in London next month.
Comments
by enternickname
Thursday, July 28 2011, 9:01AM
“Nice one ric. I can hear Rule Brittania starting up.”
by ricfrombath
Thursday, July 28 2011, 12:12AM
“Here here JohnoW! I'm glad to say that the London Olympics team have done a very good job at proving these moaners wrong. Firstly they won the bid, now they've built everything on time and to budget. No doubt they'll do a great job at putting on a world class games that rivals even China's more expensive attempt in 2008.
The best thing is that this is all happening right around us and in these times of doom and gloom this is an amazing thing for the country to unite around. Can not wait for the games to begin!”
by JohnnoW
Wednesday, July 27 2011, 1:49PM
“The Olympics will be amazing. People will moan about it but once it is actually on the nation will be transfixed.
I'm actually leaving the UK for work but will be back for the Olympics. It will be incredible.”
by Dodeperks
Wednesday, July 27 2011, 12:23PM
“There is only one word that comes into my head when it comes to the olympics
BORING!!!!!!!!!!!”
by enternickname
Wednesday, July 27 2011, 8:23AM
“Thanks for the heads up. Gives me a year's notice to book my holidays so I can avoid it.
The coverage on TV and radio just for the 'event' of one-year-away is doing my head in and I want out in 2012.”