Bernie Cotton, the British Olympic Association's performance manager, believes Great Britain must use the Beijing games as a stepping stone to success in 2012.

Cotton has challenged British athletes to match their impressive medal haul from Athens ahead of what he hopes will be Britain's "best ever" Olympics in four years time. Britain finished tenth in the medal table in Athens after collecting 30 medals, including nine golds, the same position as Sydney 2000, where they picked up 11 gold medals.

"We have raised our games over the last two Olympiads with 10th place in the medal table," Cotton said. "We would hope to at least match that and possibly take steps forward to having our best-ever games in London in 2012.

"I think the biggest challenge for any of the nations in the top ten will be to get their fair share of medals as I think China will be formidable opponents on home ground. If we can maintain our rankings, I think we will have done pretty well."

Cotton also dismissed fears that the high levels of pollution in the Chinese capital could prove a major hindrance to competitors. "It isn't a major concern," he said. "We're aware of the potential issues regarding pollution. We're pretty confident the organising committee and the Chinese government will do everything they possibly can to make it a clean games.

"We've been considering the issues, we consider all sports science and medicine support issues for our athletes, and I think one or two may choose to wear masks as some wear nasal strips."

Meanwhile, Cotton today confirmed that the BOA had picked Macau for their 2008 Olympic training camp, where up to 250 British athletes, coaches and support staff will be based ahead of the Beijing Games.

"The search for the best facilities took place between 2003 and 2006 when the BOA undertook visits to Hong Kong, Hiroshima, Bangkok, Seoul, Macau and various locations throughout China," Cotton said. "Macau is in the same time zone and also offers similar climatic conditions as the Olympic host city to aid acclimatisation.

"It is within a half-day transfer to the Beijing Athletes' Olympic Village which will help us avoid recurring travel fatigue. It has excellent training facilities and provides us with the sort of environment to help build the Team GB ethos prior to the Games."

Athletes in 15 sports including athletics, boxing, gymnastics and weightlifting will be based in Macau for two to three weeks before the Games, pending qualification. The BOA said they would use many of the facilities built for the 2005 East Asian Games.

Beijing itself will be the pre-Olympic base for Britain's canoeists while its swimmers will prepare in the Japanese city of Osaka. Those competing in equestrian events will be based in Hong Kong, which is hosting them.

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