Rwanda National Olympic Committee (RNOC) official made a maiden visit to Bedford campus to access the training facilities to be used by the national team ahead of the 2012 London Olympic Games.

According to Bedford campus news, Rwanda’s agent, Australian Daniel Beniston, who is also the official 2012 Games attaché for the country, visited the Bedford campus on behalf of the Rwandan Olympic Committee.

He was there to assess the accommodation and sports science/sports facilities which the University has on offer via the 2012 facilities training camps brochure.

During the visit, he toured the various ‘world-class’ facilities at the campus and met key members of the University including the captain of the athletics team, Saningo Martyn, and Charles Birtwisle, Head of Physical Education and Sport Sciences.

Daniel said: "The BOOST facilities are of great interest to the Rwandan Olympic Committee and I have been very impressed with what I have seen in Bedfordshire and Luton.”

"The University facilities, particularly, have much to offer as outlined in the 2012 Training Camps brochure.”

Professor David Barrett, who is a member of BOOST, said on behalf of the University: "The University of Bedfordshire is delighted to receive such a prestigious visitor on behalf of our Beds and Luton community and because of our interest and connections with international sport, I am sure we have much to offer and much to learn.”

The University of Bedfordshire’s bid to become involved in the 2012 London Olympics started last week.

The first of many visits from countries interested in using the University’s facilities at the Bedford campus took place on Sunday morning.

European, African and Far East countries have all been lured by BOOST, an organisation set up in an attempt to bring the benefit of the Olympics and Paralympics to Bedfordshire.

Apart from Rwanda, 15 countries have expressed an interest in pre-Games training opportunities locally.

They are Angola, Azerbaijan, Cayman Islands, Egypt, Gambia, Iran, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malta, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Bermuda and Uganda.

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