Winter Olympics gold medallist Amy Williams is more used to dealing with frozen water, but yesterday she officially opened the new Cardiff International White Water (CIWW) as part of her visit to Cardiff International Sports Village (ISV).
Amy officially opened the new centre alongside Cardiff Council Leader, Cllr Rodney Berman and Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture, Cllr Nigel Howells.
Amy was invited to the ISV following her amazing success at this year’s Winter Olympics in Canada, where she was the first Briton in over 30 years to win an individual gold medal at the Winter Olympics. Amy won gold in the Bob Skeleton a fast-paced sport that is not for the faint hearted, involving participants tobogganing head-first down a bobsleigh track.
The new centre, which opens today (March 27), will provide the UK with its first olympic-standard pumped water canoe slalom course, offering canoeing and white water rafting facilities ranging from starter to recreational, through to full international competition use and is expected to attract over 50,000 users per year once fully established.
Cardiff Council Leader, Cllr Rodney Berman, said: “It was an honour to welcome Amy to Cardiff and I am delighted she visited the International Sports Village. Amy’s achievement at this year’s Winter Olympics has given British sport a great boost and has ignited the nation’s interest.
“Amy officially opening the new Cardiff International White Water is a great way for us to celebrate and commemorate her outstanding performance in Canada.”
Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture, Cllr Nigel Howells, said:” It’s a great coup to have Amy officially open the new Cardiff International White Water, what better person to officially launch the course than an Olympic Gold medallists, I hope Amy enjoyed her visit and hopefully it will be the first of many.”
