Top athletes criticise plan to demolish Crystal Palace track Two British gold medallists have criticised proposals by the mayor of London that could lead to the athletics track at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre being demolished to make way for a free school and college. The Olympic 400-metre champion Christine Ohuruogu and the Commonwealth Games 400-metre relay team member Conrad Williams say the move threatens the development of future athletes. Ohuruogu said: "It's a shame that a pivotal, memorable and hugely historical icon of British athletics is on the brink of being taken away." Williams told the Guardian: "Taking away the track is a bad move. I'm angry about that. It's my base, I was just training there yesterday, and to lose that, I don't know where I'd go. The Greater London Authority, which controls the centre, says the venue is underused and in poor condition. It has proposed making extensive changes to the interior and exterior of the 1964 Grade II*-listed building, which would include permanently removing the indoor track and making a modification to the swimming pool that divers say would make it too shallow for diving. The mayor's office is floating four options for the outdoor sports arena. Two would lead to the track being demolished altogether, and two would see the only the stands removed. All options include building a college and a free school. The track was the home of the London Grand Prix international athletics event for nearly 60 years until 2012. British champions including Seb Coe and Mo Farah have competed there, as well as elite international athletes such as Usain Bolt and David Rudisha. Ohuruogu said the value of the track extended beyond the elite. It was not just a track, it was a place where athletes - local and international, elite and club, juniors, seniors, masters and everything else in between - competed, watched, cheered, supported. It is a track holding a myriad of memories for those fortunate enough to be at the National Sports Centre. Grassroots to champions, that is Crystal Palace athletics track. Williams said the arena had played an influential role not only in his athletics career but also in many of his fellow athletes" development. We see Crystal Palace as the best of the best. If they didn't have Crystal Palace they probably wouldn't have become athletes. A mayoral spokesperson said: "The mayor has invested over £20m in the National Sports Centre and the wide range of ideas set out in the public consultation now aim to put the centre on a long-term, stable footing. The proposals have been formulated following discussions with a wide range of groups and sporting organisations and the current consultation is an opportunity for local people and interested parties to voice their opinions and understand more about the challenges facing the site. No final decisions have been made at this stage and we want the consultation responses to shape the development of a more detailed final proposal.