HUDDERSFIELD is said to have scored a hit with the organisers of Yorkshire's bid for Olympic glory.
The town's Galpharm Stadium hosted a major conference yesterday outlining efforts to bring a share of the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games to the Yorkshire region.
The conference was opened by Huddersfield athletics hero Derek Ibbotson, who was 5,000m bronze medal runner at the 1956 Olympics, held in Melbourne, Australia.
He also unveiled new facilities at the stadium, including a bigger ticket office, extended reception and sports shop as well as new office to let to businesses.
Also present were Kirklees Stadium Development chairman Sir John Harman and David Gent, regional director of Sport England.
Stadium chief executive Ralph Rimmer said: "Britain has won the Olympics bid. Now it's time to `mobilise all units' to work out how we can turn it into reality.
"We were lucky enough to be invited to hold the Yorkshire regional conference to discuss how the region can benefit.
"The Olympic teams will need venues for the competitions and training camps.
"There is also the Paralympic Games, which is a prestigious event in its own right.
"We want to be a part of that and we want to bring some of the Olympics to this region."
Mr Rimmer said stadium officials had been working with regional development agency Yorkshire Forward on pushing Yorkshire's case long before the bid decision.
The conference had provided a chance to show off the stadium and its facilities to representatives of all 33 Olympic sports as well as 23 local authorities in Yorkshire.
Mr Rimmer said: "Perhaps the stadium has been viewed simply for its rugby and football.
"The conference has been a key event for us because we have been able to show how much more there is to the Galpharm."
