THE head of the London 2012 Olympics organising committee will confirm Durham University is to host the Sri Lankan athletics squad in the build-up to the Games on a visit to the North-East today.

Paul Deighton, chief executive of the London Organising Committee for the Olympics Games and Paralympic Games, is touring the region to promote the national benefits of the 2012 Olympics.

These include hosting pre- Games training camps, and Deighton will confirm Durham University as the first North-East venue to sign up an athletics squad ahead of the London Games.

University officials have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka that will lead to the Sri Lankan athletics squad basing themselves on campus during the 2012 build-up. Last year, in Beijing, Sri Lankan sprinter Susanthika Jayasinghe made it through to the semi-finals of the women’s 200m before narrowly failing to secure a final spot.

Durham University has a longstanding relationship with Sri Lanka as members of the sports and psychology departments help with the physical education and training of the Sri Lankan army.

The Sri Lankan athletics squad are the second national association to establish a North-East base ahead of 2012, as the Colombian Olympic squad have already agreed to base themselves in the region.

A team of about 60 Colombian competitors and 30 support staff will train in the North-East.

The country’s boxers are expected to use the Glenn McCrory School of Boxing, in Newcastle, but plans for the rest of the Colombian squad are still to be confirmed.

North-East officials still hope to attract at least two other Olympic squads.

The Singapore table tennis squad are understood to be interested in using facilities at the University of Teesside, while Zambian officials have visited Northumbria University, Gateshead International Stadium and Sunderland Aquatic Centre.

Mr Deighton will throw a regional spotlight on those Games today as he visits two more of the North-Eastern venues included in the London 2012 Pre-Games Training Camp Guide circulated to all national Olympic associations.

He will visit Middlesbrough Football Club’s Rockliffe Park Training Ground and Hartlepool Marina.

In his final stop of the day, Mr Deighton will then address regional businesses at a 2012 Games procurement seminar in Hardwick Hall Hotel, Sedgefield – organised by Business Enterprise North East’s recently-launched Compete North East service – to highlight the commercial opportunities still available.