Ipswich has stepped up its campaign to secure an international training team for the town in the run-up to the 2012 London Games.
Borough Council chiefs believe the town’s role as a regional sporting centre, its increasing and improving facilities and its proximity to east London will attract an Olympic team.
The Council has secured the services of Dave Chisholm, who was a senior member of Team GB at the Sydney Games in 2000. Dave joins the town’s Ambassador for Sport, Karen Pickering, in the campaign and together they have an unrivalled understanding of how to meet the needs of athletes and establishing short-term preparation camps.
Dave, who was Transport & Logistics Manager for the British team in Australia, said Ipswich and the surrounding area had “outstanding facilities’ to offer international teams.
“Ipswich has got to be on a par with the bigger towns and cities and has a good chance of getting a whole team here in 2012. There are only two or three sports we cannot cater for and participants in those sports will want to train at the actual Olympic site. We’ve got just about everything else covered."
Councillor Judy Terry, Ipswich Borough Council’s Arts, Culture & Leisure portfolio-holder, said: “We are working with a number of sports providers in and around the town in order to present a first class submission. Not only do we want to attract an international team here we also want to inspire the athletes of tomorrow and encourage the whole community to become fitter and more active."