HEREFORDSHIRE Sports Council secretary Bryan White has called on the county to back the London Olympic bid for 2012 and use the opportunity to promote its own sporting talent, writes Richard Prime.

"There is an opportunity now for Herefordshire to look at itself and be serious and positive about sporting talent," he said in his address to the Sports Council's annual presentation evening at the Royal National College for the Blind in Hereford.

"The opportunity to stage an Olympic Games in this country will not come again for perhaps 20-30 years. Even if the London bid is not ultimately successful - despite the national will to try to make it happen - we, here, should be part of the attempt."

White pointed out that Barbara Cassani, the chair of the London bid, had stressed how, although it was centred on London and most of the events would be staged there, hosting the games would be of great benefit to the whole country.

And Prime Minister Tony Blair had stated that staging the games would 'provide a lasting legacy for sport'.

White said that many of the sportsmen and women who would represent the country in 2012, just eight years away, would now be in their early to mid-teens, or even younger in some sports.

Now was the time to be identifying the potential competitors in Herefordshire and providing them with the facilities, sports science back-up and financial backing required.

"Let us give sporting talent in Herefordshire a chance," he said. "I believe that the Olympic prospect gives us the impetus to create and build a co-ordinated and sustainable programme for the identification and development of ability across all sports.

"For Herefordshire to produce a crop of Olympic hopefuls, even medal winners, and elite performers in other non-Olympic sports, wherever or whenever they compete, would surely give the whole county a reason to be proud to live here and be part of a vibrant, thriving community."

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