As a nation we are counting down the days until the start of London 2012 – the biggest sporting event Britain has seen for a generation.
For a University with a proud tradition in sporting excellence, both in terms of performance and research, we are very excited about the key role we will play in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer.
Competing at a home Olympic or Paralympic Games is a once in a lifetime opportunity for any athlete. We are a major centre for high-performance sport in the UK and have over 200 junior and senior international level athletes who call our £35 million Sport Training Village ‘home’ in terms of their training, and many of these combine this training with ongoing academic study.
Since 1996, 26 medals have been won at the Olympics and Paralympics by athletes based here and we are confident London will see that tally added to.
As well as home-based athletes we are delighted to be playing host to a number of international teams and individuals in the lead-up to the Games.
The University was chosen in 2009 to host Paralympics GB’s preparation camps in the build-up to London, and around 200 of Britain’s finest Paralympic athletes across 10 sports will make their final preparations for 2012 at the Sports Training Village.
Members of the Malaysian Olympic team will finalise their Olympic preparations on campus. They will be joined by two powerhouses of world sport: China will be basing 25 top swimmers here while a 30-strong contingent of Russia’s top track and field athletes will make their final preparations on campus.
“Since 1996, 26 medals have been won at the Olympics and Paralympics by athletes based here and we are confident London will see that tally added to.
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But our London 2012 story goes well beyond sporting performance and stretches into all aspects of the Games.
Our sports science research has helped to improve elite performance, and our ongoing research into disability and sports exercise will see us become a centre of excellence in this field and create a real lasting legacy from the summer.
We have current students, alumni and staff all taking key roles in both the build-up and delivery of London from helping to design the state-of-the-art velodrome track to playing a part in the opening ceremony.
‘London 2012 – Our Story’ aims to tell those stories of extraordinary people and achievements and how the University of Bath will be playing its part in the greatest sporting event on the planet.