University of Leeds Hosts Chinese Olympic Athletes
August 2011
The University of Leeds, under its brand MeetinLeeds is proud to announce that it will be hosting a training camp for the China team in preparation for London 2012.
The Chinese Olympic Committee have announced that the sporting superpower will base most of its 300 athletes - from at least 11 sports - at the University of Leeds next July for its pre-Games training ahead of the London 2012 Games.
The athletes coming to Leeds will be representing their country pending qualification in mountain biking, fencing, modern pentathlon, athletics, swimming, women's water polo, women's handball, women's hockey, table tennis, boxing and taekwondo. Discussions are also ongoing regarding a number of other Olympic sports.
China are a world superpower at Olympic level, having topped the medal table in their home Olympics in Beijing in 2008, claiming 51 golds and a total of 100 medals overall.
Richard Handscombe, Head of Sales & Marketing for events at the University of Leeds comments: "This is a fantastic honour for the University and for the region. We have very high quality facilities and I am very pleased that the Chinese recognised that they would provide a superb training camp for their top athletes. We can't wait to welcome them here."
Director for National Team Management in the Chinese Olympic Committee Mr Yang said: "Officials from the Chinese Olympic Committee have visited a range of sports facilities in Leeds and Yorkshire. We are confident that Leeds and Yorkshire will make a very good pre-Olympic training camp base for our sports teams and that our athletes will be very happy with the arrangements we are making in Leeds for our preparations for the London 2012 Olympic Games."
Image - The University of Leeds' Vice Chancellor Michael Arthur with Director for National Team Management in the Chinese Olympic Committee, Mr Yang
