By Tom Degun

Singapore_march_in_Opening_Ceremony_Beijing_2008April 17 - Singapore have become the latest nation to confirm they will train in Surrey ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games.


Top Singaporean athletes, including reigning Olympic table tennis silver medallists Feng Tianwei, Li Jiawei, Wang Yuegu, Sun Beibei and Yu Mengyu, will head to the Guildford-based facility for two Pre-Games training camps.

The first camp is due to be held in July this year and the second in July 2012 in the build-up to London 2012.

The camp has been organised by the Singapore Sports Council while the agreement will see Singapore's shooting athletes train at Bisley's National Shooting Centre in Surrey.

London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe said: "It's great news that the Singapore National Olympic Council has decided to send their athletes to train in the UK both this summer and next.

"The aim of London 2012's Pre-Games Training Camp Programme is to allow athletes to compete at their very best through acclimatisation and training and I have no doubt that Surrey Sports Park and Bisley's National Shooting Centre will both support the Singaporean athletes by providing excellent training facilities."

The first training stint at Surrey Sports Park and Bisley's National Shooting Centre will be held from July 27 to August 14 this year.

Around 40 athletes and 26 officials from the four sports of badminton, shooting, swimming and table tennis will be making the trip for the first camp while the second camp will be held from July 14 to 24 next year and is likely to feature an increased number of athletes.

Paul Blanchard, the chief executive of Surrey Sports Park, said: "We are both excited and proud the Singapore Sports Council has chosen Surrey Sports Park as the training base for their Olympic athletes prior to London 2012.

"With a vast array of world class sports facilities, we feel our sports park will prove the ideal training venue for Singapore's athletes, and will ensure they are fully prepared for a successful Olympic Games.

Bob Gambardella, the head of Singapore's Sports Development Group, added: "After careful evaluation, the Surrey Sports Park was chosen as it best met the training needs of Team Singapore.

"Their sport and supporting facilities are sports specific and are of international standards.

"Their facilities are also relatively new and clustered within one area, making it easy for athletes and officials to access.

"Of the four locations, the Surrey Sports Park is also the closest to the Olympic Games Village in East London, approximately an hour-and-half's drive away."

Built at a cost of £36 million ($60 million) and completed in April last year, the University of Surrey owned facility boasts a 50-metre indoor swimming pool, three multi-purpose sports halls, ten grass and three artificial pitches, eight outdoor tennis courts, six indoor squash courts, a fitness centre and a 60m sprint track.

Surrey Sports Park played host to the 2010 Women's Rugby World Cup last year and has provided training facilities to a host of national and professional sports teams including the England men's rugby team and Harlequins rugby union side.

Singapore have followed Nigeria by choosing to base themselves in Surrey ahead of London 2012, a decision announced exclusively on insidethegames earlier this month.

At the Beijing 2008 Games, Team Singapore competed in six sports - athletics, badminton, shooting, sailing, swimming and table tennis.

The silver medal by the Singaporean women's table tennis team in Beijing came 48 years after the Singapore won its first ever Olympic medal which came when Tan Howe Liang picked up silver in weightlifting at Rome in 1960.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
April 2011: Team Nigeria to be based in Surrey for London 2012