Alice on move to get Olympic spot

ALICE LOVERIDGE is moving to Sheffield in September to join the Great Britain senior development squad for the 2012 London Olympics.

The 15-year-old table tennis star has been selected for the UK Sport-funded BTTF programme which features the top two English players, the number one from Northern Ireland and the leading Welsh player.

It is planned that the three British players for London 2012 will come from these five.

Loveridge will spend three weeks out of every month at the English Institute of Sport Sheffield and one week back in Guernsey.

An academic schedule is being formulated by the Grammar School so that she can continue her GCSE studies.

'She's going to have a busy year, but she's really looking forward to it,' said Loveridge's mother, Tina.

'She's a bit apprehensive as there's going to be a lot of work and a lot of discipline required. It's going to be tough, but it is her decision.

'Being on squad means that she is one step closer to going to the Olympics. It's a compliment for her being on that squad.

'They feel she's got the potential.'

Loveridge also recently found out that she has been accepted on to the Talented Athletes Scholarship Scheme.

She will receive £2k a year from TASS to enable her to receive specialist training and help fund tournaments.