Newport set to feel Ryder benefit

LEGACY is a word that regularly accompanies once-in-a-lifetime sporting events for towns and cities throughout the world. And Newport is no exception as it prepares to host the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor.

“It is all about the legacy,” said Matthew Evans, leader of Newport City Council’s ruling Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition. “Staging the Ryder Cup is the start. Our key next target is the London Olympic Games. We are less than two hours away from London on the train, and we’ve got some excellent training and sporting facilities in Newport.”

Britain’s extremely successful cycling squad did much of its pre-Beijing Olympics preparation at Newport Velodrome, while a burgeoning sports village and the Celtic Manor venue itself could add to the city’s sporting appeal as 2012 approaches.