Brum 'vital' for Games.

Byline: Neil Elkes

LONDON Olympics supremo Lord Coe today heaped praise on Birmingham for being first out of the starting blocks to secure the Jamaican and USA athlete training camps ahead of the 2012 Games.

He said Birmingham had taken the lead in proving that London hosting the 2012 Games is a UK-wide event.

It comes after city leader Mike Whitby travelled to the World Athletics Championship in Berlin and finalised a deal with the Jamaican athletics side to base their 2012 training camp in Birmingham.

The USA Track and Field Team, who would bring world-class athletes like Usain Bolt to the Alexander Stadium in 2012, are set to sign a similar deal within weeks. Lord Coe said: "These Games will be based in London but I see the impact going way, way beyond the capital. This is a UK-wide event and that's why it's vital that cities like Birmingham play their part.

"The fact that the leader of the council travelled to Berlin ahead of the World Championships to tie up the Jamaica deal is testament to the fact that the city aims to make the most of 2012 and the determination comes from the very top. That is exactly what I want to see from cities up and down the UK."

He added that Birmingham has held more World and European athletics championships than any other UK city and the sporting world had recognised that level of expertise.

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