Newcastle University named as London 2012 Training Venue
The University’s Cochrane Park Sports Ground will be a dedicated football training venue for the Games in July 2012.
At the London 2012 Games, the preliminary football rounds will be taking place at grounds across the UK. the University’s sports facilities will play host to an array of international football stars as they make the final preparations for their competitive matches at Newcastle United’s home ground, St James’s Park. It was announced in October that six football matches would be staged at St James’s Park during the 2012 Games.
The University’s Director of Sport, Colin Blackburn, said: “The Olympic Games are undoubtedly the world’s greatest sporting spectacle. For Newcastle University to be invited to be part of the 2012 Games is a great honour, as well as a tremendously exciting prospect for us.”
The decision by the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) to designate the University as an Olympic training venue came after extensive negotiations with the University’s Centre for Physical Recreation and Sport, and the Estate Support Service.
Seb Coe, Chairman of the London 2012 Organising Committee, said holding the rounds at the University would ensure a high quality start to the Games and "will provide excellent training facilities for athletes getting ready for the biggest sporting competition in their careers".
Professor Chris Brink, Vice-Chancellor of Newcastle University, added: “LOCOG’s decision to name Newcastle University as one of only four universities in the UK to be designated as Olympic training venues is a measure of the quality of our sports facilities. It is also a credit to the commitment of Sports Centre and Estates support staff who will be working with LOCOG to deliver the international-standard facilities and services that world-class sports stars will expect from an Olympic training venue.”
* Image courtesy of Alexander Wilson.
published on: 23rd March 2011