KENYA may have won 12 track medals in China, but athletics legend Kipchoge Keino is hoping to tap into Bristol talent for honours in other sports.

The African nation will be using Bristol as a training base in the build up to the 2012 Olympics.

Earlier this year, Kenya won gold in the men's marathon, 3,000m steeplechase and 800m at the Beijing Games, while Nancy Jebet Lagat finished first in the women's 1,500m.

But, as well as forging links with Bristol Rugby Club and Gloucestershire Cricket Club, two-time Olympic gold medalist Keino is setting his sights on Bristol helping to improve Kenya in other sports.

Keino, who is also chairman of the Kenya Olympic Committee, said: "We want to diversify into other activities. We are not very strong in the other sports. We are good at track and field but we want to learn the other sports.

"We want to see how we can improve. We can do this by talking to local coaches.

"We are preparing for a major event but we are also learning at the same time. (Long distance running) is only one event. We want to go into other sports.

"We want to see if we can improve in rowing, football, swimming, hockey, volleyball and also rugby and cricket. So many things can be developed.

"This is a long-term plan. We can work together, see what is possible. Every year we should be doing something."

In the 1968 Mexico Games, Keino was suffering violent stomach pains caused by a gall bladder infection.

Due to this illness, he collapsed on the track during the 10,000m, but remarkably he finished second in 5,000m four days later and then went on to win the 1,500m by a record 20-metre margin.

Four years later in Munich, he claimed gold in the 3,000m before adding a silver in the 1,500m.

Kenya has already played a part in Bristol Rugby Club's success in the Guinness Premiership. The club's top try scorer, David Lemi, was spotted and then signed by head coach Richard Hill after playing in the Kenya Sevens tournament.

Bristol will soon start welcoming the Kenyan Olympic officials as they start planning for 2012, but it has yet to be decided which venues will be used for training ahead of the London Games.

Bob Reeves, director of sport at the University of Bristol, is in charge of Bristol Kenya 2012.

He explained: "It depends on the facilities and the timing. We are also involved with Filton College and University of the West of England.

"Over the next few months we are going to be looking at the particular needs of the different sports.

"We are not just coming here for the training camps, but we will be linking with Bristol Rugby and Gloucestershire Cricket Club in terms of their capacity to help one another.

"Maybe Bristol can look into recruiting a Kenya player or two! But I am sure Richard Hill and his colleagues might get involved in coach development with the Kenyans and that will happen in other sports."