Lord Coe called on councils in Sussex to play a role in the lead-up to the 2012 Olympic Games as he formally opened a new sports centre.

Olympic gold medalist Sebastian Coe outlined the importance of involving young people in sport and the benefits the London Games would bring to the country during a visit to Crawley's K2 centre yesterday.

He praised its "cutting-edge" facilities, which, he said, could persuade international teams to choose it as their training base.

He said the spirit in which the centre was built and the facilities it offered should be seen as an example of what the London bid stood for and what was required to prepare for the Games.

He said: "The angle we took to Singapore was about getting more young people into sport on the back of getting the Olympic bid. Those are only warm words unless we have the facilities and the coaching. A facility like K2 will do that.

"It's important the athlete that makes 2012 has seven years of world class facilities for them to flourish and that's what K2 will offer."

About 200 people gathered in Pease Pottage Hill to see Lord Coe officially open the centre, which has attracted 250,000 visitors since November.

Middle-distance runner Danielle Christmas, 18, who trains with Crawley Athletics Club at the centre twice a week, was among those there.

She said: "It was great to meet him, not just as a middle-distance runner like myself but as the leader of the team that brought the Olympic Games to London. It was brilliant to meet someone who you aspire to be like."