Paralympic training venues picked

Medway Park is one of the eight venues

Elite athletes could be heading to Kent to train ahead of the 2012 Paralympic Games after eight venues in the county were picked as possible training sites.

The venues were chosen for the brochure promoting facilities for disabled sports people from around the world.

The sites had to meet strict criteria to be selected including access, nearby accommodation and links to London.

The eight include Medway Park, an �11.1m centre of excellence being built at a sports complex in Gillingham.

The others are Dartford Judo Centre, The University of Kent at Canterbury, Stour Leisure Centre in Ashford, Sevenoaks School, Canterbury High School, Polo Farm Sports Club in Canterbury and Valley Leisure Centre in Folkestone.

The British Paralympic Association made its decision after a list of possible venues was submitted by Kent County Council as part of the Kent Campaign for the 2012 Games to generate long-term benefits to the county.

Mike Hill, the council's cabinet member for community services, said: "This is excellent news and something very exciting for Kent that elite Paralympians and Olympians could be coming to our local facilities to train before competing at the London 2012 Games."

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