30 of Russia's top track and field athletes will arrive at the University of Bath on 20th July, staying on campus and making use of the sports facilities before departing for the Olympic Village on 1st August.

Professor Dame Glynis Breakwell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bath, said: "We're delighted to be welcoming the Russian athletics team to the University this summer.

"They are the latest team to choose Bath as their pre-Games base and their decision further enhances our standing as one of the UK's leading sports training bases."

Stephen Baddeley, Director of Sport at the University, added: "The Russian Federation is one of the powerhouses of world athletics and we're pleased and proud to announce that the Russian athletics team will be training with us at Team Bath in the build-up to the Olympics.

"The Sports Training Village will have a truly international flavour this summer, with athletes from Malaysia, China, Ghana, Egypt, Barbados and Great Britain training at Team Bath."

Collectively, the Russians will be looking to go one better than they managed in both Beijing and at the 2011 World Athletics Championships, when they finished second on the medal table, behind the United States.

Among the Russian athletes at Team Bath will be current pole vault world record holder and Olympic champion Yelena Isinbayeva, as well as fellow Beijing gold medalists Andrey Silnov and Valeriy Borchin.

By Carly Baldwin