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Birmingham ARTICLES

Jamaica's 2012 Olympics team plan Birmingham base

24th February 2010

The Jamaican track and field team have signed a deal to bring their athletes to Birmingham for the 2012 Olympics. It means the city will be home to two high-profile training camps.

The deals with the Jamaicans and the United States, which was signed last year, are worth an estimated £15m to Birmingham, the city council said.

It means the world's fastest man, Usain Bolt, will reside and train at Birmingham University during the run-up to the games.

Eleven medals

The Jamaican team, along with their officials, is expected to be at least 60-strong.

The team won 11 medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, six of them gold.

The 160-strong US team will also train and reside in the city and surrounding sporting venues.

Bolt holds both the men's 100m and 200m world records of 9. 58 seconds and 19. 19 seconds, respectively.

Birmingham City Council leader Mike Whitby said: "We were first out of the blocks with the USA team.

"These (Jamaicans) are the fastest athletes in the world.

"It underpins Birmingham's credibility as the UK's sporting city. "

Source: BBC