Hockey and triathlon training venue upgraded and ready for Commonwealth Games

Upgrades have been completed to training facilities for hockey players and triathletes during the Commonwealth Games.

The upgrade to the hockey facilities at Wyndley Leisure Centre has been successfully completed, with the venue now boasting an international standard pitch.

Improvements made to Wyndley Leisure Centre, in Sutton Coldfield, will also be enjoyed by local hockey clubs and local people for years to come, ensuring a lasting legacy for the Commonwealth Games

The centre will also be the training venue for triathlon and para triathlon athletes, and the athletics track at the centre will be refurbished later in the year

The leisure centre was announced as the official training venue for hockey, triathlon and para triathlon back in November, and since then it has undergone a transformation, with the existing pitch upgraded to a Federation International Hockey (FIH) standard pitch.

The improvements being made at Wyndley Leisure Centre will have a long-lasting benefit for local community groups, schools and local hockey players too, such as those from Sutton Coldfield Hockey Club, which is based at the site.

Wyndley Leisure Centre is owned by Birmingham City Council and operated by Birmingham Community Leisure Trust, and the work on the pitch has been funded through the Birmingham 2022 capital programme budget and through National Lottery funding via Sport England.

The new hockey pitch now replicates the playing surface at the University of Birmingham, the official competition venue for hockey, making it the perfect training venue for the ten women’s hockey teams and ten men’s hockey teams that will compete at Birmingham 2022.

Training venues play a crucial role in the final preparations for all of the competitors at an event like the Commonwealth Games.

Hockey’s triple Olympic and triple Commonwealth Games medallist Laura Unsworth spoke of the need for top-quality facilities when she visited the site.

She said: "Those last few days before a major tournament begins are vital to a team’s preparations, so it is fantastic news that for Birmingham 2022 the hockey teams will have access to a brand new pitch for training."

The hockey teams for Birmingham 2022 are expected to be confirmed in the next few days.

More details about the Commonwealth Games, including information about tickets, can be found at birmingham2022.com