Olympic Dreams Become Reality in Wigan and Leigh

The people of Leigh and Wigan took a giant leap towards being part of the Olympic dream today.

Leigh Sports Village and Robin Park Arena and Sports Centre have both been included in the London 2012 Pre-Games Training Camp Guide.

Being part of the Training Camp Guide means that both sites could be used as training facilities by competing nations from across the globe as part of their preparations for the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics to be held in London.

The Training Camp Guide will be handed over to the all of the nations by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games LOCOG immediately after the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. It is believed that Wigan Borough is one of the few borough’s nationwide to have two facilities in the guide.

Robin Park and Leigh Sports Village could be used for a variety of sports including athletics, badminton, basketball, football, handball, table tennis, volleyball and gymnastics.

Wigan Council Leader Lord Smith said: “I’m delighted by the news that our borough has two potential Olympic training venues. Our commitment to sport is second to none in Wigan and this is a real feather in the cap for the borough, the council and the leisure trust. Having local training camps would stimulate the economy and raise the borough’s profile. It would also be a tremendous boost for our young people aspiring to athletics excellence to observe Olympic standard athletes.

“When I went to the Ukraine a couple of weeks ago with Andy Burnham and Trevor Barton, the government there was very interested to hear about the fantastic new facilities at Leigh Sports Village and the Ukraine’s historic connections with Leigh. Robin Park has some of the best athletics facilities in the region and its inclusion on the list is equally well merited.”
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Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust Chief Executive Rodney Hill said: “This is a great opportunity for young people in the borough to be involved in the Olympic games and to learn about other nations and cultures. This is a great honour for Wigan and Leigh and we believe this will inspire people to become involved in sport and physical activity and to aspire to excellence.”

Leigh Sports Village Chief Executive Simon Toon said: “This is fantastic news for the whole borough. We have developed world class facilities here at Leigh Sports Village and this will help to put them under the national spotlight. Hopefully this news will also help to inspire more and more people to participate in sport locally and take advantage of the first rate facilities on their doorstep.”

Wigan Borough Sports Council Chairman Trevor Barton said: “This shows what we can do in Leigh and Wigan. We’ve worked hard over the last twenty years to improve local sports facilities, so this is another piece in the jigsaw of sporting excellence for our borough. The Olympic Games is for everyone and this is a big step towards securing some real involvement for local people in the greatest event in the cultural calendar.”

For further information about London 2012 visit www.london-2012.co.uk

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