By Tom Degun at the University of Bath

Tim20HollingsworthAugust 27 - British Paralympic Association (BPA) chief executive Tim Hollingsworth is confident that the pre-London simulation camp currently underway in Bath, designed to familiarise athletes with the environment and systems they might experience at London 2012, will ensure the best possible chance ofhome success on the medals table.


Many of Britain's top Paralympians, including swimming star Ellie Simmonds, are now reaching the end of the two week camp at the University of Bath which began on August 15 and will reach a conclusion tomorrow.

In exactly a year's time, the same camp process will provide a distraction-free environment where athletes can complete their final preparations before transferring to the Olympic Village for the start of their competition and Hollingsworth believes the camp is vital for Britain, who have finished second on the medal table at the last three Paralympics and are aiming to do so again next year.

"The camp is an important part of the way in which we help the sports to prepare the athletes for the Games," said Hollingsworth.

"The scale of a Paralympic Games is so different to what athletes are used to at their major international competitions.

"So by replicating the Games time experience, where athletes live and train in a multi-sport environment, we aim to familiarise them with what to expect in London and therefore ensure that they are best prepared.

The camp is Lottery-funded through UK Sport and chief executive of the organisation Liz Nicholl said putting on the camp in Bath was high on their agenda.

"It has been a priority for UK Sport to provide Lottery investment to support the ParalympicsGB camp at the University of Bath to provide a unique environment for competitors, coaches and staff as they continue to fine tune their preparations for next summer's Games," she said.

"It is vitally important for athletes to experience the lifestyle they will be expected to manage during the Games to ensure they have every chance of success in 2012.

"While our investment in sport specific Paralympic programmes since Beijing is at record levels, this multi-sport experience will add enormous value to their preparations as we approach 'One Year to Go' to the London Paralympics."

The sports attending the camp are archery, boccia, cycling, fencing, football, powerlifting, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, goalball, and volleyball.

Cycling was one of the first sports to come through the camp and multi-Paralympic gold medallist in the sport Jody Cundy praised the camp.

"You can tell that the Paralympic Games are soon because the sports are starting to come together", said Cundy

"There's a really good set-up here, it feels village-like but without the bubble that you get at Games-time.

"It's exciting that the next time we convene it will be the real thing."

London 2012 partners Coke and Cadbury's have provided products to the camp with Sainsbury's having supplied and delivered products and Deloitte and EDF Energy having provided employee volunteers.

In addition ParalympicsGB has worked with EDF Energy to educate athletes and staff about the Green Team initiative, designed to ensure that the camp is sustainable and environmentally-friendly.

The camp is the first event in a series that will celebrate the one year to go milestone to the Paralympics on August 29.

International Paralympic Day will be held in Trafalgar Square on September 8, Paralympic tickets go on sale on September 9 and Sainsbury's Super Saturday concert is on September 10.

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