UCLan on track for Olympic glory

UCLan’s Preston Sports Arena (PSA) will play a major role in helping to prepare athletes from 15 Pacific Island countries for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

And recently, Dr Robin Mitchell, Secretary General of the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) led a delegation to view the top-rated facilities at PSA. He was accompanied by Mr Vidhya Lakhan, President of the Fijian National Olympic Committee and ONOC’s Programmes Manager Dennis Miller.

The party toured PSA with UCLan’s Dr Graham Baldwin, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Skills & Employer Engagement) and Dr Adrian Ibbetson, Academic Director of UCLanSport.

Dr Ibbetson explained: "The Oceania delegation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the North West Development Agency (NWDA) to use the North West as its training base in the four year period building up to the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. 

"Obviously our top-rated facilities at PSA are a major attraction and we look forward to welcoming Oceania’s Olympic athletes from a variety of sporting disciplines."

The countries represented by the delegation include Papua New Guinea, Guam, Fiji and the Solomon Islands. Specific sports identified for support include athletics, football (both men and women) judo, swimming and weightlifting.

Dr Mitchell said: "On behalf of all 15 Olympic Committees we are delighted to have made this long-term commitment between the North West region and Oceania which will benefit both parties.

"Having visited the North West myself and seen the wonderful sports and educational facilities I know Oceania’s athletes and coaches will have the best possible preparation for London 2012. I look forward to continuing our work with the NWDA and other partners over the coming years."

The MoU sets out an agreement to develop wide ranging links. These include:

1. Pre London 2012 preparation and holding camps.

2. Oceania athletes and support staff training in the North West full or part-time on education programmes or work placements, linking into
club, coaching and competition structures in the region. UCLan has been actively involved in these discussions.

3. Working together on a range of sports development initiatives back in Oceania to help grow sport and create a genuine sustainable legacy for sport in Oceania from the relationship.

4. To develop wider educational and cultural exchanges between Oceania and the North West, linking to the values of the London 2012 Education programme and the Cultural Olympiad.

Dr Ibbetson continued: "We’ll be able to offer the Oceania teams a range of sporting expertise including advice on strength and conditioning, sports science and sports therapy.

"Royal Preston Hospital has also pledged the use of its MRI scanning facilities to help with any sports injuries. Everyone in the region is pulling together to make this initiative a success and help place the North West on the global Olympic map."

ONOC is looking to develop the initiative into a long term relationship that will culminate in Oceanic attendance at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.