Ring of confidence at WSG

3:32pm Friday 7th March 2008

MELKSHAM will host a major gymnastics team ahead of the 2012 games in London.

That's the view of Peter Bates, who headed The Wiltshire School of Gymnastics' bid to provide an international team with training facilities before the games.

The centre is one of the facilities listed in a brochure that will be distributed at the Beijing Olympics this summer for international teams to choose from.

It is not certain the centre will be used but its impressive facilities make it an extremely strong contender.

Bates, 48, of Rode, oversaw the campaign that resulted in the centre being one of six venues in the south west that were chosen.

When asked if the centre would host a major nation, Bates said: "I'm sure we will. I can't see us not getting a big country but we would be quite happy with anything.

"I'd like to think our facilities would be used to their full extent and we would get one of the big teams.

"We're really delighted to be in there amongst the elite, but it's only the first step and the next step will be equally critical.

"We're in for a couple of years of hard work followed by two years of international teams staying with us.

"We're hoping this will bring tourism and prestige and the local area should be very pleased.

"When you stop and think about it, it's fantastic, no one's a loser."

Holly Jones, 26, who coaches young gymnasts at the centre, was positive Melksham would welcome an international team.

Jones said: "We're one of the better facilities because we're specifically a gymnastic centre, whereas some of the facilities are within a leisure centre and some of the equipment isn't quite international standard, so we have a good chance.

"We hold two national competitions here a year and not many other gyms hold national competitions."

After the 2012 games Peter Bates says he sees the centre going from strength to strength.

Bates said: "We're a successful club anyway and there's no reason why any of that will stop.

"We've got this interest and if it goes beyond it's only going to enhance all of that.

"Having got our name on the map we want to be holding international competitions.

"We're good but we want to try and be great. There's possibilities of an extension and all sorts.

"Our life-blood is our 1,000 paying gymnasts, we're a charity and we don't make money.

"We need the prestige and we need people to know about us."

Holly Jones added: "We've got all the equipment we need but if we get sponsorship we could add to it and renew things.

"We've got 1,000 members and it will benefit them in the long-term."