Town could become Olympic training hub
Plans for a specialist obstacle course at the Whalley Road sports complex are been approved.
A town in Lancashire could soon become the location of a unique Olympic training facility for the newest discipline in modern pentathlon. Plans for a specialist obstacle course have been approved by Hyndburn Borough Council, with the development set to be built at Wilsons Playing Fields in Clayton-le-Moors. The permanent structure, positioned on the athletics track at Whalley Road sports complex, will measure approximately 34ft long, 21ft wide and up to 13ft 4in high.
The steel-framed facility, surrounded by anti-climb fencing, will offer a variety of obstacles for athletes to train on, reflecting the sport's evolution with horse riding replaced by obstacle racing. This change has been approved for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, where modern pentathlon will now consist of fencing, swimming, obstacle racing, and the laser run.
The development aligns with the sport's popularity of Ninja-style challenges and is expected to enhance the athletics infrastructure without displacing any existing sports provisions.
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