There is nothing quite like watching live world class sporting action.

This afternoon I will be lucky enough to witness British Olympic champions battle it out with other international stars, in front of a capacity audience here at the Manchester Velodrome in the first round of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup.

 

At the same time over in Sheffield, the world’s best table tennis stars will be battling it out in the newly resurrected English Open. Both events have been made possible through the Lottery Funded UK Sport World Class Events Programme.
 

Having been here almost exactly four years ago, at the 2005 UCI Track Cycling World Cup, it is clear to see that things have moved on. That event was great, but we had a number of empty seats and some of the crowd turning up weren’t even sure of the names of British riders. Fast forward four years, 14 Olympic Medals and a BBC Sports Personality of the Year and all three days this weekend are sold out, I am sure things will run like clockwork and we might even have one or two household names competing.
 

This event, and the way it has developed over recent years, has reminded me of the importance of bringing world class sporting events to this country. Our announcement today, of the 64 events we are hoping to support through our World Class Events Programme in the final 1,000 days before the Olympics, is an important step in helping prepare our athletes, officials, sporting bodies and volunteers before London plays host to the greatest show on earth in 2012.
 

Bringing these events to our shores will undoubtedly have a positive economic impact for the local host region, but whilst this is always a consideration, the interesting aspect of this particular programme is that it was devised almost entirely with the benefit to the sports, of helping in their preparation for 2012, in mind.

 

The 64 events that will hopefully be taking place across the UK, will give British athletes the opportunity to experience performing on a world-level in front of a home crowd and the pressures and the benefits that this can bring. It will give coaches and psychologists vital insights into how their athletes handle this pressure, in plenty of time before the Games come to town.
 

It will also give the myriad of officials that are needed to stage such events, vital experience and knowledge that will be invaluable in London, not to mention the thousands of opportunities that will be created for volunteers at each event, building key skills which can again be used if needed in 2012 and beyond.
 

But the most exciting thing about the entire programme? For me that's easy. That it is more than likely that there will be a world class event held in the next 1,000 days at a nearby town or city and that everyone across Britain will have the chance to cheer on our current and future British stars, current and future Olympic and Paralympic champions. And, as I said, there is nothing quite like watching live world class sporting action.
 

Liz Nicholl is the Chief Operations Officer at UK Sport. She is a former international netball player and was the Championships Director of the 1995 World Championships. As chief executive of English Netball for 16 years prior to joining UK Sport, she steered the sport through a period of successful change.