MILLIONS of pounds have been invested in creating state-of-the-art training facilities for Olympic teams in Redbridge, which will be used by new generations of gold medal hopefuls after the Games.

Redbridge Sports and Leisure Centre in Forest Road, Barkingside, this year opened new £7.6 million sports halls, including Olympic standard badminton and netball arenas, with funding provided by the centre’s own charitable trust, the Olympic Delivery Authority and Badminton England.

It will be taken over by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) this summer and Olympian and Paralympian judo, badminton and wrestling teams from around the world will use it as a training base.

The centre’s business development manager Matt Reynolds, 34, said: “It is an overwhelming feeling that the Olympic athletes will be training here and it will be highly positive for the area.

“Although we will be closed to the public from July 16 to August 12, the benefit for the community afterwards will be massive, they will be able to use some of the best badminton facilities in the country, which have been used by top Olympic athletes.”

Olympic track cyclists, mountain bikers, triathletes and paracyclists will be using nearby Redbridge Cycling Centre in Forest Road, Ilford, as a training base.

Uniquely for an Olympic training venue, the centre will be open to the public during the Games, from 3pm during the Olympics and 1pm during the Paralympics.

Cllr Robin Turbefield, Redbridge Council's cabinet member for leisure and youth services, said: "I’m really pleased that our top class facilities at Redbridge Cycling Centre will be showcased to some of the best cyclists in the world this summer.

“We have known for a long time that the cycling centre will be a Games-time training venue and it will be exciting to know that we’ll have top athletes training on our doorstep both at the cycling centre and the nearby sports and leisure centre.”

Click here to follow the Epping Forest Guardian on Twitter