Sport England have announced they plan to invest more than £2.5million at Bisham Abbey and the Redgrave Pinsent Rowing Lake at Caversham.

 

It is part of promise by the Government of more funding for elite training centres in the build-up to the 2012 Olympics.

 

The Bisham Abbey cash will go towards the creation of top-class training and rehabilitation facilities, state-of-the-art indoor rowing and canoeing machines.

 

The second part of the investment is for improvements and maintenance works at the 2,000m rowing lake used by the Olympic rowing squads, which will be used mainly by rowers based at Caversham Lake, GB canoeing and England Hockey.

 

David Tanner, performance manager for Britain's rowing team which won six Olympic medals,including two gold, to finish top of the overall medals table, said: "Winning Olympic medals isn't just about those six or so minutes on the water in the final, it is about years of putting in the hard yards - often in the gym at Bisham Abbey.

 

"Sport England's new investment will help our athletes’ training, recovery and rehabilitation as the team knuckles down to the challenge of getting in even better shape for London 2012."

 

Other works planned around the country include a new archery range and all-weather hockey pitches at Lillehsall as part of a £2.725 million upgrade of facilities there.

 

Jennie Price, the Sport England chief executive said: “As we unearth and nurture more talented young athletes, they too will benefit from training alongside our Olympians and Paralympians in state-of-the-art facilities.”

 

All works are due to be completed by March 31 2009.