OKEHAMPTON's table tennis club received a major boost this week, following news it has been selected to be included in an important training guide for the London Olympic Games in 2012. It means the club's venue in Castle Road could be chosen by a table tennis team from anywhere in the world to become its base in preparation for the Olympics in four year's time. If successful, it would be a major coup — not only for the club but also for local businesses who could benefit. Lorraine Robinson, the secretary of Okehampton Table Tennis Club, who put in the application to the guide, said she was delighted the club had been chosen from the many applications received nationally. She told the Times: 'The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games is developing the guide as an on-line facility in partnership with Visit Britain, the national tourism agency. 'The guide will allow national Olympic committees and national Paralympic committees to search the training camps on a sporting and geographical basis and will be presented to NOCs and NPCs at a series of invitational events during the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic games later this year.' Lorraine said the club was very busy in schools in West Devon doing tasters for table tennis or bat skill games. 'The sport seems to be growing very quickly again and with this fantastic news from LOGOG, we hope it will continue to grow. 'I'm excited not just for the club but especially for the children to encourage them in the sport. 'It would also be great for all the facilities in the town that could be used — from the leisure centre to hotels, restaurants and local sport shops.' The club, which has put in much effort to provide encouragement for local youngsters to enjoy the sport, may even have one of its own members competing in the games itself. Richard Marshall, aged 16, is a member of the England U18s table tennis team, and although from Plymouth, trains and plays for the Okehampton club. Richard is hoping to represent his country at this year's Olympic Games in Beijing. A team selecting Okehampton for their pre-games camp would be allocated £25,000 to spent on facilities such as accommodation and training in the area. Apart from the club facilities, Olympic table tennis players would be able to use facilities such as Okehampton Leisure Centre with its swimming pool, weight training and fitness suite — essential for modern day athletes. Apart from the players themselves, they would come with trainers, coaches, physiotherapists as well as the media — all boosting trade in the town. After the Beijing Olympics this year, national teams will be making preparations for the next games and so it will be a question, says Lorraine, of just waiting and see if Okehampton is successful. Fred Phillips, the chairman of Okehampton table tennis club, said he hoped being able to host such a training camp would help many businesses in and around the town, as training squads could come up to a year before the games to train. Terry Beckett, the West Devon Borough Council leisure officer who backed the application to the guide, is also delighted. He said: 'It will give prominence to the sport, prominence to the club and prominence to the area. 'For Olympians to come and train here would be a great sporting opportunity for the area and especially for local schools to become involved in.' Mr Beckett said Okehampton would be a fantastic venue for any table tennis team to come to. 'This is a terrific part of the world to come to train and I can't think of anywhere better,' he said. Stuart Lord, the activity development manager of Okehampton Community Recreational Association, said: 'Its fantastic news for the town. 'This area is ideal for teams training from all over the world. 'They will be able to be in somewhere free from the pollution and bustle of a big city, without the heavy media attention, and in a place with a superb natural environment. 'Okehampton and its facilities are excellent and it would be good for both the town and any team that came to train here.'
