Bangor University base for Chinese Olympic Weightlifting Team

The Welsh Government and Anglo-Chinese Sports and Culture Association (ACSCA) in partnership with Bangor University, Welsh Weightlifting Federation, Gwynedd Council and Sport Wales have announced that the Chinese Olympic Weightlifting Team will be based in Bangor for their 2011 pre Games training camp in preparation for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Monday 25 July 2011.

It is anticipated that the Chinese Weightlifting Association, comprising a team of up to 48 athletes, coaches and support staff, will be in Bangor from 4-10 August 2011.  

First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, said:
“I’m delighted that the Chinese Weightlifting Association has decided to choose Bangor as their pre-Games training base.  This is a real coup for Wales as the team has such an impressive track record and have very high hopes for the 2012 Games.  This has been an excellent partnership between the Welsh Government and Bangor University and I’d like to thank all those involved for their hard work.  We look forward to welcoming the team to Wales next month, wish them well with their preparations and hope that this is the beginning of a long lasting friendship.”

Arguably the world’s greatest weightlifting team, China won 8 gold medals from 15 available at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Dr Herman Wang, Director of the Anglo-Chinese Sports & Culture Association and on behalf of the Chinese Weightlifting Association, said:
"We look forward very much to the training camp this August in Bangor.  All key agencies in Wales are working in partnership to provide a first class environment for the Chinese team to train in a beautiful part of Wales on the Menai Straits and in Snowdonia National Park.   We deeply appreciate the support the Chinese weightlifting delegation has received so far.

“We hope, that through this opportunity,  we can build good relationships to promote weightlifting  development between two countries.”

Bangor University Vice-Chancellor, Professor John G Hughes, said:
“We greatly look forward to welcoming the team to Bangor University and were delighted with the reaction of the Chinese Olympic team, who were very impressed by what Bangor University has to offer. In addition to the Sporting and Conference facilities, the Chinese Olympic Weightlifting Team will also have access to expertise at our School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences, where there is a long track record of assisting Olympic athletes and teams.”

Jonathan Roberts of the Welsh Weightlifting Federation said:
“The Welsh Weightlifting Federation is pleased to welcome the Chinese Olympic weightlifting team to Wales.  We are privileged to have the World’s Greatest Weightlifters training in our country and it is a fitting tribute to past and present Welsh Weightlifters who themselves have won medals in every Commonwealth Games since 1954. It is hoped that the visit of the Chinese weightlifters will inspire a new generation of champion lifters in Wales.”

Gwynedd Council Leader, Councillor Dyfed Edwards, said;
“The Council and its partners have been working hard to attract top athletes to train in the area in the run-up to the 2012 Games. We are delighted that this hard work has paid off and that the world-beating Chinese weightlifting team have confirmed that they will be using Gwynedd as their pre-Olympic base.

“We will be working hard to ensure that this high-profile visit will inspire children and young people across the county to take up sports as well as raising the profile of Gwynedd and Wales amongst the people of China.”

Publication date: 26 July 2011