BOA training camp gets unanimous seal of approval from athletes

Other SportsVancouver 2010

BRITISH Olympic Association chief executive Andy Hunt insists there’ll be no rest for the wicked at Team GB headquarters in pursuit of gold at London 2012 and Sochi 2014.

NO LET UP: BOA chief Andy Hunt insists there is room for improvement despite a glowing report from athletes (Getty Images)

Hunt was Chef de Mission at last month’s Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver where Great Britain took a squad of 52 members – the biggest since Albertville 1992.

And while the British team missed out on their medal target of three, with skeleton champion Amy Williams the only medallist, an athlete questionnaire has lifted the lid on the British competitors’ support from the BOA.

But despite nearly all favourable responses, Hunt insists the BOA have plenty to improve on ahead of London 2012.

Advertisement

“The feedback we received from athletes was hugely encouraging,” said Hunt.

“But we have no intention of taking this as a signal to sit back and rest on our laurels.

“Our mantra at the BOA is that Better Never Stops and we will look at each area of the BOA’s role.

“We need to apply what we’ve learnt to both the London Games in 2012 and the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi in 2014.

“Where we haven’t scored 100 per cent, we’ll ask why.”

Advertisement

Ironically, it was the British preparation camp – a hot topic of debate ahead of London 2012 – which came out most favourably.

UKA head coach Charles van Commenee and London 2012 chairman Lord Coe are at loggerheads about the preparation of the British athletics team for London with van Commenee favouring a warm-weather training camp in Portugal and Coe preferring the team to be based at home.

But there were no complaints of the British preparation camp in Calgary with 100 per cent of respondents satisfied with the support at the camp and 98 per cent in favour of a similar set-up ahead of Sochi 2014.

And short track speed skating performance director Stuart Horsepool admitted there was an unprecedented feeling of support from the BOA in Vancouver.

“The way the BOA approached these Games felt like a step up from what’s gone before,” said Horsepool.

Advertisement

“The atmosphere they created was inspirational and there was a huge effort to make the athletes feel like they were part of Team GB.

“It was obvious a huge amount of thought was put into the Games.”