Pool chosen for Olympics training

The Wales National Pool will be nurturing some of the best swimmers

The Wales National Pool in Swansea has been chosen as one of five centres in the UK to prepare swimmers for the London 2012 Olympics.

British Swimming - the sport's national governing body - has awarded it Intensive Training Centre (ITC) status.

The idea is the 50m pool, which opened in 2003, will provide a world-class daily training environment to develop medal winners for four year's time.

Pool general manager Jane Draper said it will help train the UK's best.

British Swimming received 10 bids for ITC status and following site visits and interviews chose facilities at the University of Bath, University of Stirling, Stockport and Loughborough University, making Swansea Wales's only ITC.

Ms Draper said some Olympic and Paralympic athletes already trained at the pool and added: "This is testament to the quality of the Wales National Pool and the dedication of our staff who have worked very hard to achieve this.

'One stop shop'

"Britain's performance in the pool in Beijing has been outstanding and the ICT network will help us build on this.

"As an ITC, Swansea will be nurturing some of the best young swimming and coaching talent in the UK."

The Swansea pool on Sketty Lane was built at a cost of £10.7m and was a partnership between The Sports Council for Wales, the assembly government, Swansea Council and Swansea University.

British Swimming National Performance Director Michael Scott made the implementation of ITCs a priority when he started in the post last year.

"Creating a world-class daily training environment is an essential part of our overall strategy towards realising our long-term performance goals," he said.

"This will enable us to further challenge for more future Olympic success.

"These centres will provide a one stop shop service point for swimmers and coaches - the aim is to provide everything they need in their development from the right amount of 50m pool time to sports science support."