Published: Thursday, 8th January, 2009 7:20am

Sprinter Smith warms up for new season at Pitreavie

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WEST FIFE flyer Nick Smith has been using the Pitreavie indoor athletics centre for his winter training.

Most days Smith, who has enjoyed his best season since he went to the Athens Olympics of 2004 with the British relay squad, is joined by training partners Olympic athletes Paul Hession and Allan Scott, who were in Beijing last summer.

The athletes use Pitreavie"s indoor track and strength and conditioning suite to improve their muscular endurance, strength, power and speed.

Hession, dubbed "The fastest man in Ireland", chooses to spend 50 per cent of his training year based in Fife at Pitreavie.

He said, 'This facility is better than anything in the whole of Ireland.

"I would advise the Irish to view this facility and look at providing venues like this in Ireland. I achieve a lot more in training sessions here.'

Hession, who specialises in the 200 metres, won his 200m quarter-final in Beijing in a time of 20.32 to qualify for the semi-final, just after Usain Bolt, who had a time of 20.29.

He finished fifth in a time of 20.38 in the semi-final, just missing out on a place in the final.

Scott, who finished sixth in the quarter-finals of the men"s 100m hurdles in Beijing, added, 'Pitreavie is an invaluable training facility because of the length of the track.

"Previously, training would be hit and miss, because of the weather, but now I am able to hurdle inside. This means my year round training is far better.'

Nick Smith described Pitreavie as 'the best facility in Scotland'.

He added, 'The guys that work here take a real interest in what we do.'

Last year Smith won the 60 metres title at the DM Hall Scottish Indoor Championships in a time of 6.64 seconds, smashing his own Scottish native record in the process.

Their coach, Stuart Hogg, added, 'I can"t praise the staff enough.

"They can"t do enough for us. This is a tremendous facility.

"Previously, we were out in all weathers with no shelter.

"Now we are here almost every day using both the indoor track and the strength and conditioning suite.'

Ed Watson, chief executive, Fife Sports and Leisure Trust, said, 'We have a really strong customer-focused team at Pitreavie.

"They not only look after the elite athletes but all the other many users of the facility including sports teams, clubs, junior athletes, school children and members of the public.'

For information on using the facilities at Pitreavie as well as the programme of fitness classes available, visit www.fifeleisure.org.uk.