Durban has a sound infrastructure to host the 123rd session of the Olympic Committee in 2011, the city's manager, Dr Mike Sutcliffe, said on Monday.

"We've no doubt that Durban has a sound, excellent infrastructure and the potential to host the main Olympic 42 sporting codes in a single precinct," he said.

Durban and Hong Kong were the two remaining shortlisted cities vying for the Olympic session.

Delegates are due to meet early in August to select the host city, and Sutcliffe said he was confident that Durban could win the bid.

He said the city had worked hard to put together a "powerful bid documentation" for the battle.

The 2011 bid, said Sutcliffe, also formed part of the city's 2010 Fifa World Cup soccer finals, and their "Beyond Strategy" meant to focus on developing Durban as the continent's premier sporting and events destination.

Bongi Sishi, spokesperson for the National Sports and Recreation Minister, Rev Makhenkesi Stofile, was not immediately available for comment.

Sapa