A glimpse at the behind-the-scenes preparations for the Olympics was a worthwhile exercise for Bearwood College pupils.

A group studying sports science went on a field trip to Bath University to see elite athletes in action and the steps being taken for 2012.

The uni’s sports facility has one of only four 50-metre swimming pools in the country, a new beach volleyball area with bleep testing equipment and a tennis centre jointly run with the Lawn Tennis Association.

With the help of state-of-the-art experimental technology, the Bearwood visitors stepped up for some of the physical tests undertaken by potential 2012 Olympic athletes – and it was a good day for one pupil, who registered the levels of a professional footballer.

The day finished with a lecture from the university’s senior physiologist on sports nutrition, stressing the importance of an athlete’s diet for optimal performance.