SWIMMING CHIEFS CELEBRATE GLASGOW WIN
Tollcross Leisure Centre will host the aquatic events at
the 2014 Commonwealth Games after Glasgow was named host of
the multi-sport meet following a vote in Colombo (Sri Lanka)
earlier today.
Glasgow beat off competition from rival bidder Abuja (Nigeria)
to win by a comprehensive 47 votes to 24. The Scottish city
has been favourites to lead the Games after coming out on
top in a technical evaluation of the bids and receiving consistently
positive feedback from the Commonwealth Games Associations.
The bid promise was centred around providing an athlete-centred
event in world class venues, 70% of which are already in place.
Swimming facilities at the Tollcross Leisure Centre, which
hosted the European Junior Swimming Championships in 2003
and the inaugural UK School Games last year, will be extended
to create a 50m, four-lane warm-up pool and provide seating
for up to 5,500 spectators.
Scottish Swimming Chief Executive Ashley Howard was in Glasgow
today for the announcement and is delighted to have a world-class
event on home soil.
"The support our athletes and coaches enjoyed in Melbourne
18 months ago will be nothing compared with the home support
we will have here in seven years time," she said.
"I am looking forward to the plans for Tollcross coming
to fruition and the Games leaving a wonderful swimming legacy
for future generations to enjoy for years to come."
British Swimming Chief Executive David Sparkes praised Glasgow
for its technically advanced bid and hopes it will allow the
UK to continue momentum from London 2012.
"This is a truly exciting day for British sport, Scottish
sport and in particular for swimming," he said. "The
Glasgow bid has been extremely well managed and is technically
very sound.
"Glasgow 2014 will enable us to springboard from London
2012 to an exciting Commonwealth Games on home territory.
I relish the thought of going to Glasgow in 2014 and demonstrating
to the Commonwealth we have the capacity to move on from London."
The 2014 Commonwealth Games will be held over 11 days, with
the opening ceremony on 23 July and the last day of competition
and closing ceremony scheduled for 3 August.
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