TWO sporting heroes who took part in the Olympics and Paralympics are opening the Grimsby Institute's new state-of-the-art Sports Centre.
Olympic gold medal winner, boxer Luke Campbell, will join teenage-wheelchair sprinter Jamie Carter from Binbrook – who attends the Institute – in performing the official opening on Thursday, May 2, from 4pm.
Jamie has praised the development of the centre at the Nuns Corner Campus, which boasts a six-court sports hall, fitness centre with dance studios, a gymnasium, teaching spaces, physiotherapy treatment suite and IT breakout spaces.
As reported, work on the centre was completed late last year, using space formerly used as outdoor courts space at the college.
Looking ahead to giving an inspirational speech to his fellow students, 18-year-old Jamie is in his third year at the college, where he is studying sport, and he holds British wheelchair sprint records for the 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1,500 metres.
He said: "It's a privilege to be able to open the centre with Luke.
"I have never met him before so I am really excited about it. I watched him at the games and he was really good and an asset to our area.
"I have just begun my training for the season and it involves pushing in my chair, completing set programmes set for me by my London coach, Jenny Archer."
As reported, Jamie has cerebral palsy and at the Paralympics he set a new personal best in the 200m heats to qualify for the final, in which he came eighth.
He added: "The highlight of my sporting career so far is seeing my name on the board when I reached the finals at the Paralympics – it was amazing.
"I have been in the sports centre and it is very up-to-date, with much more space to learn."
Luke, 25, from Hull, won gold at the London Olympics in the bantamweight division after beating Ireland's John Joe Nevin.
He has even appeared on ITV's Dancing On Ice 2013 in January, skating with professional Jenna Smith – coming in third.
