AUSTRALIAN YOUTH OLYMPIC FESTIVAL: GB chief hails tournament gateway to London 2012

GREAT Britain chef de mission Mark England is a man with a considerable weight on his shoulders.

_{LEADER OF THE GANG: GB chief Mark England will lead the future stars to Sydney (Getty Images)}

England will lead 120 promising British athletes to Sydney in January to the Australian Youth Olympic Festival - a biennial tournament that makes use of the Sydney 2000 Olympic venues with approximately 1550 young athletes from across the globe taking part.

Two years ago, in GB's maiden appearance at the Games, 92 of the 106 British youngsters who took part came home with medals.

Of those 106 taking part, eight - including Beijing bronze medallist Louis Smith and diving prodigy Tom Daley - progressed to the senior GB Olympic team just seven months later in Beijing.

And with the clock already ticking until London plays host to the Olympic roadshow, England would be excused for feeling the strain of the sizeable task of producing the British champions of 2012.

But England, also a rock-solid understudy to the recently departed BOA chef de mission Simon Clegg, insists tournaments such as these are the perfect way to cultivate the British gold medallist of tomorrow.

"The simple fact that they're all going to be out there amongst the Olympic rings in an event sanctioned by the IOC is huge," he said.

"I think the memories of Beijing and the successes there are still very close to everyone's hearts and these guys can now feel part of that and feel very special as a result of it.

"I don't think how soon it comes after the actual Olympics makes a difference but I do think it's true that the Olympic rings and the association with the Olympics makes all the difference.

"It's a huge privilege and enjoyment for everybody to walk in the Olympic Park - where England won the Rugby World Cup - people have memories of that and Steven Redgrave won his fifth gold medal there.

"In 2007, 92 of the 106 who went to Australia came back with either an individual or a team medal which was absolutely incredible.

"It shows that we send a strong, and very serious, competitive team, whether or not we can repeat that is the challenge."

The 120 fledgling Brits aged between 13 and 20 will be competing in 11 of the 15 Olympic sports on show - with participation dependant on invitation from the Australian governing body.

And England is adamant the opportunity for the young British sportsmen and women to rub shoulders with competitors from such a variety of sports will be of huge importance when the lucky few progress to don the senior GB vest in four years' time.

"The multi-sport aspect of the competition is huge," he added. "There are very few events that actually become Olympic sanctioned events but this is one of them - it has the patronage of the IOC and that can elevate this tournament.

"There are very few events sanctioned by the IOC but this is one of them" GB chef de mission Mark England

That means that there's the raising of the Olympic flag and the singing of the Olympic hymn and medal ceremonies.

"Added to a village-type atmosphere and a multi-sport programme it really makes it feel like the Olympics.

"Most of these kids won't have been away to a multi-sport Games at all and it's a fantastic contribution and introduction to the Olympic movement and they also understand very clearly what the needs and demands of other sports are."

GERARD MEAGHER