Alice's Olympic hopes lifted

IN THE week Alice Loveridge won her first adult Grand Prix event, she has also been asked to join the senior Great Britain development squad for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The weekend saw the 14-year-old Sarnian make her senior debut and walk away with the band one title at the Liverpool Grand Prix.

She also reached the quarter-finals of the open event and the final of the under-21 competition.

But prior to the tournament, Grammar School student Loveridge, who won two gold medals at last year's Island Games in Rhodes, was invited to join the senior GB development squad by top English coach Alan Cooke.

'I'm really pleased and it's another step to the Olympics,' said Loveridge.

She is already part of the Under-18s British Talent ID squad and spends one week every month training with the group in Sheffield.

She was the only player from the five girls in the programme to be asked to train with the senior squad.

The seniors comprise three women aged from 17 years old to 24.

They are all based at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield and train full-time.

The coaches want Loveridge to move to Sheffield within the next three to six months.