Michael Johnson (left) and Sir Steve Redgrave receive special gold medals to mark their first visit to Aspire from Dr Dieter Hackfort.

Doha • Record breaking Olympians Sir Steve Redgrave and Michael Johnson took time out from the 2008 Commercialbank Qatar Masters, Presented by Dolphin Energy, to visit the Aspire Academy for Excellence – and were immediately impressed with the ultra-modern facilities.

The two sportsmen – who between them amassed ten Olympic gold medals – were taken on a guided tour of the facilities by Prof Dr Dieter Hackfort, Dean of Aspire who briefed them on the aims and function of Aspire before explaining the workings of the sport psychology aspect of the Academy in which they were especially interested.

Redgrave, who won five consecutive rowing golds, and US sprinter Johnson – winner of gold at 200m, 400m and 4x400m relay – toured the complex as part of their visit to Doha as guests of Commercialbank.

And the American admitted it was an eye-opening experience. “We don’t have anything like this in the US as most young people play sport anyway and there is an automatic natural process of selection,” he said.

“But this is a beautiful sporting facility and I am all for it if it encourages young people to achieve their goals.”

Redgrave is no stranger to sporting excellence having captured gold medals at every Olympic Games from 1984 to 2000 as well as an additional bronze in 1988. As the only Briton to achieve this feat he is widely considered to be his country’s greatest Olympian – only four other Olympians have achieved the same.

“I was very much involved in the bid process for London 2012 and one of the issues which was crucial to that bid was the subject of useable legacies that would come from succeeding with the bid,” he said.

“It is important that you have facilities that are intimate and make you feel comfortable doing what you do. At Aspire, there are a lot of indoor areas that can be used for competitions but it is also intimate and athletes will feel ‘hey, this has been especially designed for us, for our training, to get the best out of us and to improve us’ while still being adaptable to stage world championships and international events.”

Redgrave added: “I am extremely impressed with the whole place, the set up, the sports science, the mental approaches – it’s all-encompassing and all-inclusive.”

To commemorate their visit to Aspire, Professor Dr Hackfort presented both Johnson and Redgrave with special gold medals to add to their already-impressive Olympic hauls.