Northern France to be centre for London preparations
Northern France is set to host a number of athletes as they make their final preparations for the 2012 London Olympics.
February 03, 2011 / 09:39 IST
Northern France is set to host a number of athletes as they make their final preparations for the 2012 London Olympics.
The French handball squad will hold a training camp in Dunkirk in the run-up to the defence of their title and other sports are set take advantage of the region's proximity to London and more relaxed atmosphere.Paris lost out to London for the right to stage the 2012 Games."Once the few moments of sadness in Singapore had passed when London was preferred to Paris for the 2012 Games, we used our geographic proximity to propose preparation camps," Michel Delebarre, Dunkirk deputy and mayor, told reporters on Wednesday when a deal was signed between the region and the French Olympic Committee.The French swimming, gymnastics, fencing and sailing teams are all due to stay on the northen coast for as long as possible before switching to London and other countries will use the region as a pre-Olympic base.With Dunkirk one and a half hours from London and Calais just one hour away by the super-fast TGV train, the Singapore cycling team, Belgium's basketballers and athletes from Morocco and Hungary are planning to train in northern France. Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
