JULY 25 - A LEADING official of the British Olympic Association has today praised the team's pre-Games training camp in Macau as a "treasure".

 

Bernie Cotton, the BOA's Olympic performance manager, told the Macau Daily Times in an interview published today that they had been impressed by the warmth of the welcome in the Chinese territory.

 

He told the newspaper: “We've been to several places around China looking for that special mix of facilities.

 

“As soon as I came to Macau, I thought we had found our treasure, not only because of the facilities, but also because of the warm welcome we got from both the Sports Development Board (IDM) and the Government."

 

Cotton said that they one of the reasons they chose the Westin Hotel to base themselves there was because of the quality of the food.

 

He said: “The chef here at Westin, David Holiday, has a grandfather who comes from Yorkshire, and although he spent most of his life in Australia, he understands sports and he understands what sportsmen need, and on top of that, I have expert nutritionists on my team, who will be discussing and negotiating the menus.

 

“Menus will be designed by nutritionists and delivered by the hotel."

 

So far, some 40 British athletes are already in Macau, including women's hockey and gymnastics and men's hockey.

 

The men's taekwondo are expected to arrive tomorrow with the track and field team due to begin travelling there next week.

 

Macau was both the first and the last European colony in China.

 

Portuguese traders first settled in Macau in the 16th century and subsequently administered the region until the handover on December 20, 1999.

 

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