The Russians are the latest Olympic competitors to choose the Team Bath facilities as venue for their final preparations before the Games.

China is basing 25 of its top swimmers at the University ahead of London 2012, and members of the Malaysian Olympic team will also be on site.

The Malaysians have been using the University of Bath as a regular training base since early 2010 in the lead up to large European-based tournaments.

News that the Russians were considering basing themselves in Bath during London 2012 was first broken by insidethegames in March 2011. 

Once the Olympics close on August 9, the Sports Training Village staff will turn round the facilities to host the ParalympicsGB camp, featuring ten sports and more than 200 team members, in the run-up to the Paralympic Games.

Professor Dame Glynis Breakwell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bath, said: "We're delighted to be welcoming the Russian athletics team to the University this summer.

"They are the latest team to choose Bath as their pre-Games base and their decision further enhances ourstanding as one of the UK's leading sports training bases.

"We have over 30 Russian students currently studying at Bath and a thriving alumni community and I'm sure they will be thrilled to hear the news."

Stephen Baddeley, Director of Sport at the University of Bath, added: "The Russian Federation is one of the powerhouses of world athletics and we're pleased and proud to announce that the Russian athletics team will be training with us at Team Bath in the build-up to the2012 Olympics.

"The Sports Training Village will have a truly international flavour this summer, with athletes from Malaysia, China, Ghana, Egypt and Barbados as well as the UK, and a wide range of other countries, training at Team Bath ahead of 2012.

"We have some of the best sports facilities in the country on a compact and attractive campus, which is a compelling combination for nations and teams looking for a training base."


David Dixon, Bath & North East Somerset Council's Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: "Bath & North East Somerset Council already has a very strong relationship with Russia through enjoying the presence of many visitors during the year.

"As a consequence we are thrilled that we will be welcoming the athletics team in the build-up to the Olympic Games."

The Russian Olympic Committee have targeted third place in the overall medals table in London, with the goal of winning at least 25 golds.

The Russia track and field team finished second behind the United States in the medal tables at both the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and the 2011 IAAF World Championships in Daegu, Korea.

In Beijing, the team won six gold medals, one short of the United States, as well as five silvers and seven bronzes.

Their medallists included Yelena Isinbayeva, who set who set world and Olympic records en route to gold in the women's pole vault, while there were also gold medals for Gulnara Galkina-Samitova in the women's 3,000 metres steeplechase and Olga Kaniskina in the women's 20k walk.

The women's 4x100m relay quartet also took gold, while Andrey Silnov won the men's high jump and Valeriy Borchin won the men's 20k walk.

World, Commonwealth and European champion 400m hurdler Dai Greene is among the British track and field athletes who train at the University of Bath.

Tasha Danvers, Andy Pozzi, Jack Green, EilidhChild and Lawrence Clarke also train in the same group coached by Malcolm Arnold, UK Athletics' National Event Coach – Hurdles.

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