26 January 2012 Last updated at 03:58 ET

London 2012: Australia Olympic diving team picks Leeds base

Australia's Matthew Mitcham is a rival of Britain's own Tom Daley

Leeds has been selected as the official training base for Australia's diving team for the London 2012 Olympics.

The squad, including reigning Olympic 10m diving champion Matthew Mitcham, will be based at the Aquatics Centre at the John Charles Centre for Sport.

Diving Australia said the centre was a "world-class venue".

Leeds will also host Russia's diving team, China's full Olympic squad, Dutch swimmers and athletes from the USA, Serbia and Canada.

Diving Australia's announcement was timed to coincide with Australia Day.

'Fantastic coup'

Mary Godden, the body's chief executive officer, said the divers were "delighted" to have signed the agreement with Leeds City Council.

London 2012 - One extraordinary year

• The BBC's home of 2012: Latest Olympic news, sport, culture, torch relay, video and audio

Councillor Adam Ogilvie, the council's executive member for leisure, said: "This is more fantastic news for Leeds to attract another major sporting power in the form of the Australia diving squad.

"Everyone knows what a competitive sporting nation Australia is, so for them to choose Leeds as their ideal base to train before the games is a massive compliment to our facilities and our city."

Seb Coe, chairman of the 2012 committee, said the agreement was a "fantastic coup" for Leeds and "further proof of the world-class sporting facilities in Yorkshire".