Brits to benefit
British athletes are to shortly benefit from the construction of a second track at their pre-Olympic Games training base in Paphos.
The deal for a second track to be laid - in just six weeks - at Coral Beach near Paphos, has been thrashed out by UK Athletics Performance Director Max Jones and his support team in consultation with the British Olympic Association.
Olympic hopefuls are already using the excellent existing facilities in Cyprus, courtesy of funding from the sport's biggest sponsorship deal.
The Norwich Union Athens Camp opened in late April and continues throughout the rest of this month.
It is giving athletes an insight into what they can expect when the BOA's Olympic preparation camp opens in August.
Jones said: "This camp is a trial for the Olympic Preparation Camp, which athletes will attend from 4 August.
"We are trying to set up the ideal environment and it's going very well. The elite athletes have all been happy with the accommodation and the facilities.
"The Paphos track has been excellent - and the exciting news is that we are going to build a second track in six weeks."
Jones recognises the immense benefits of additional training space, and said: "It means we shall have two tracks at our disposal by the time the athletes begin to move through on their way to the Games in Athens.
"We are leaving no stone unturned in our efforts to make sure our athletes are fully prepared for the Games."
Jones, due to leave his post after the Athens Games, added: "It's nice to see athletes training flat-out before they launch themselves into the competitive phase in a few weeks' time."
He is delighted that Commonwealth and European triple jump gold-medallist Ashia Hansen's career is back on course after missing all of last summer with a foot injury.
Jones said: "It is great to see Ashia back in full training and doing everything she should be doing at this time of year.
"When we return early in August, it will be to a familiar training site. The opportunity given to us by Norwich Union to take athletes out at this time has been an invaluable part of the acclimatisation process for Athens."
