 Gordon Brown announces the Tomorrow's Champions initiative |
Great Britain and China will link up to share experiences of the pressures of preparing athletes for a home Olympics. Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced the "Tomorrow's Champions" initiative on a visit to the Chinese capital Beijing, venue for this year's Games.
Sue Campbell, Chair of UK Sport, which is running the programme, said: "The step up to an Olympics is intimidating.
"This will take off some pressure by helping athletes learn from those for whom the experience is still fresh."
Mr Brown's announcement came after he attended a training session between British and Chinese table tennis players as guest of Beijing's People's University.
He was accompanied by double Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes, an ambassador for the Tomorrow's Champions programme.
UK Sport and China's General Administration of Sport (GAS) have been working together since 1998 to develop sporting exchanges and promote international relations between the two countries.
More tie-ups are expected between elite judo, taekwondo and waterpolo players.
Campbell added: "Through the visits the UK's athletes and their coaches can learn more about the unique experience and pressures that a home Games brings.
"And their Chinese counterparts will have an early opportunity to learn about the environment in which they will compete in London 2012."
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