The trip, organised by Sheffield City Council, was attended by Xiao Min, vice-president of the Chinese Olympic Committee, who led a delegation.

As well as the City Council, they met with representatives from Sheffield International Venues (SIV), Sheffield Hallam University, the University of Sheffield, Creative Sheffield and members of the Sheffield Business community.

Xiao made her visit on her way to attending the International Olympic Committee Session, which opens in Copenhagen on Friday (October 2).
 

She was keen to see how relationships could be built with the city and its leaders, focusing on developing international sports exchanges and volunteer schemes, as well as pre-Games training camps.
 

She said: "I have been deeply impressed with the friendliness shown to the Chinese delegates who have come here to visit Sheffield.

"The sports relationship we can build between us was very much on the agenda.

"We also discussed how we can best co-operate in terms of education.

"You have two very famous universities and sports management courses that are being run there.

"We only had a very few short hours in Sheffield but we have gathered a lot of important information."



China is being courted more than nearly any other country because of the potential trade links that they might bring.

Birmingham has been trying to arrange a deal with them for more than a year.

Steve Brailey, the chief executive of SIV, which manages 14 sports venues across Sheffield including Ponds Forge and Don Valley Stadium, claimed that the Chinese were impressed with what they saw.

He said: "Madam Min was very interested in our existing business links with China and our impressive facilities in Sheffield."

Brazil have also visited Sheffield to inspect its facilities.

Gustavo Satio Harada, a member of the Brazilian Olympic Committee’s technical department, was shown round several venues, including tours of potential accommodation, sport science support and facilities including Ponds Forge ISC, Don Valley Stadium and Rother Valley Country Park.
 

He said: "Sheffield is not only a beautiful city with a great youth and full of life environment, but also has state of the art sport facilities, with which the Brazilian athletes would have all their needs for their 2012 preparation fulfilled.
 

"We still have some planning to do, but in this last visit to the city, the Brazilian Olympic Committee is certain that our athletes would be very much welcomed, matching our culture joy and happiness with the great hospitality of Sheffield, focusing on the best result on 2012 Olympics."
 

Hopes for further international sporting teams to use Sheffield as a base for their Olympic training camps have been heightened since Serbia signed a Memorandum of Understanding in May 2009 with Sheffield and Leeds to use their facilities over the next three years.
 

Paul Scriven, the Leader of Sheffield City Council, said: "It would be a fantastic opportunity to host teams from China and Brazil here in Sheffield.

"This visit has been about showing them what our fantastic city has to offer.

"Not only do we have the facilities, knowledge and experience for hosting elite athletes, but I know that Sheffield people would readily give them a warm welcome.

"Having this calibre of athlete here in the city will inspire local people and help to enhance Sheffield's reputation in the world as a sporting city."


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