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Olympic heroine unveils sports facility
Yorkshire Evening Post 4th October 2008
DOUBLE Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes has unveiled a new world class sports performance centre at Leeds Metropolitan University.
The retired runner last night returned to the complex which helped prime her for Athens four years ago.
In the months leading up to her 800m and 1500m successes, Dame Kelly worked with close friend and physio Alison Rose and a team of sports scientists to get her into peak condition.
Opening the new centre, Dame Kelly described how a big part of the triumphs were owed to the behind-the-scenes team at Leeds Met.
She said: “I always thought that if I trained hard and worked hard and stayed injury free that I would achieve things.
“I had the commitment but my body used to let me down so many times.
“The one thing I was not getting right was being absolutely meticulous in my preparation with regards to physio, nutrition, health, rest and relaxation, all those things.
“When I eventually stood on that rostrum I felt like everyone else in the team – particularly Alison – should have been up there getting a gold medal because I could not have done it without them.”
She added: “The people here are fantastic and the facilities they now have are so important. You are lucky to have them in Leeds.”
The new Carnegie Centre for Sports Performance and Wellbeing brings together world class sports science and coaching personnel.
It also includes a state-of-the-art physiotherapy service at Carnegie Sports Injury Clinic.
Staff at the centre are experienced in working with athletes from club level to Olympic level.
The hi-tech equipment can provide scientific feedback and advice tailored to the needs of athletes to increase performance and prevent injury.
Louise Sutton, Centre Manager at the Carnegie Centre for Sports Performance and Wellbeing said: “We are looking forward to working with a number of elite athletes and would be delighted to help in their bid for success at London 2012.”