Leeds has caught the Olympic bug
Leeds has caught the Olympic bug with four years to go to London.
Swimming legend Adrian Moorhouse will return to the city where he made his name tomorrow.
The man who trained in Leeds during a career which culminated in an Olympic gold medal in the 100m breaststoke in Seoul in 1988 will help launch a special DVD and brochure to promote the sports facilities in the city which could be used by athletes from all over the world as they prepare for the London Olympics and Paralympics in 2012.
The DVD entitled Gateway to Gold will be shown for the first time at the launch event at the John Charles Centre for Sport on Friday from 10am, highlighting a wide range of venues in Leeds which could be used to host training camps for Olympians.
Copies of the DVD and brochure will be distributed to every Olympic and Paralympic association ready for their return from Beijing. This will be followed by more targeted work with those countries where there are differences with the UK in areas such as climate, time zones and diet as these are key factors that athletes will need to overcome as they prepare for 2012.
Earlier this year facilities at John Charles Centre for Sport, Rothwell Leisure Centre, Headingley Carnegie Stadium, University of Leeds, Leeds Metropolitan University, the Middleton Equestrian Centre and The Grammar School at Leeds were named by the London 2012 organisers in a list of potential training facilities.
Adrian Moorhouse said: "I am really pleased to have the opportunity to help promote Leeds as a training destination for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
"I have every confidence Leeds and the Yorkshire region can provide the range of training facilities and services that will meet their expectations. Gateway to Gold will help promote the city and attract international teams to Leeds during the next four years."
And two special flags were raised in Leeds city centre this weekend to mark the historic moment when London became the host city of the Olympic Games.
As part of a nationwide celebration to mark the official handover from Beijing to London, flags were raised at the Civic Hall and Leeds Town Hall.
The flags will remain in place until September 30.
Leeds City Council deputy leader and executive member for development Coun Andrew Carter said: "This is a great way of marking the official start of the real build-up to London 2012.
"Judging by the fantastic opening ceremony and amazing performance of the British team in Beijing, 2008 will be a hard act to follow but hosting the Olympics is a once-in-a-lifetime event so it will be something for the whole country to enjoy."
As an additional way of marking the handover, swimming in all Leeds City Council-managed swimming pools will be at a special price of 50p per session for anyone under 16 throughout the weekend. Check local centres for availability.
Posted: Wednesday, August 27, 2008
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