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Many venues around the country have been hosting athletes and coaches from around the world who are preparing for the up and coming London 2012 Olympic Games.  Edgehill University in Ormskirk has been the base to some of the Oceanic Island countries including Micronesia, Palau and the Marshall islands and local Merseyside coaches have been supporting their preparation and training.

Liverpool Pembroke and Sefton AC have been working closely with the Olympians to ensure that they get the best out of their visit to our county.  Many of the athletes and coaches expressed two legacies they would like to gain from their experiences 1) athletes to achieve Personal Bests in the Games and 2) for the Coaches to take back some coach education in which they could utilise back in their home countries.

On Friday 13th July, LPS and Edgehill University hosted an Athletics 365 workshop in which coaches and athletes were able to experience the programme and take away some vital information.  Olympic athletes from other venues in the North West were invited and athletes and coaches based at Crewe MMU also attended.

The workshop was delivered by Athletics 365 creater Scott Grace along with two coaches on the National Development Programme, Hannah Bridge and Joe Frost.  Hannah who is a Wigan based coach and student at Edgehill has been working with the Olympians; “It has been a really interesting six weeks for me - I've enjoyed working with the athletes. It's been a real pleasure, and have formed new friendships. They are all so excited about heading off to London.  It'll be a proud moment for me too, to see them actually competing once the Games get underway."

It is hoped that the workshop will leave a lasting legacy and the athletes will take away the skills that they have learnt and use them back home to build on their community sports. John Howard (Olympic Coach) said: "I work with a community club back home and I want to use my experience from the workshop to teach the children I work with."

Every coach and athlete were given an Athletics 365 Coaches pack and the three tutors (Scott, Hannah and Joe) spent time with the Olympians to ensure they understood Athletics 365 and went through the theory and practicalities of the programme. 

The islanders attended an 'Olympians' Farewell Dinner on Saturday 21 July at Edge Hill ahead of their departure for the Olympic Village in London on Sunday 22 July 2012. 

Look out for the following athletes at the Games!!

• John Howard (Mic) 100m
• Mihter Wendolin (Mic) 100m
• Ruby Joy Gabriel (P) 100m
• Rodman Teltull (P) 100m
• Hayley Menra (MIs) 800m
• Timi Garstang (MIs) 100m

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