South London Press
YOUNG swimmers’ dreams of achieving Olympic success got a huge boost this week with news that a key sports centre is set to reopen.
They will be able to train again at the National Sports Centre (NSC) next month following a £14million refit.
The listed sports centre in Ledrington Road, Crystal Palace, has had its 50m pool and specialised diving pool overhauled.
Young Olympic diving hopefuls from South London have been forced to travel to Kent and South Yorkshire to practice since the pool closed in September 2007.
Crystal Palace diving club director and former diving world champion Chris Snode said the athletes were delighted with the news.
He said: “We’ve got a team of elite athletes here that have been hand-picked from schools and gymnastic classes across London.
“They are being trained by Cheng Yang and Xiang Yan Kong – two of the best diving coaches in the world.
“These kids are good enough to win bronze, silver and gold medals in the 2012 Olympics, but since the place shut we have limped along.”
On September 4 last year, asbestos was discovered at the centre and the whole place had to be evacuated.
Since then the gym and public swimming pool were moved, while the main sports centre was closed.
The diving club was forced to use a football hall for dry-land training between weekly trips to a pool in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and monthly trips to Sheffield.
Mr Snode said: “I have had a look at the diving pool and it’s really nice.
“It’s bright, clean and airy – a million times better. Yes we are very happy indeed.”
The official opening will take place on April 25.
A spokesman for the London Development Agency, the centre’s owners, said work had been carried out including asbestos removal.
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