AUSTRALIAN YOUTH OLYMPIC FESTIVAL: Rowers spurred on by Redgrave legend

THE Penrith Regatta Centre in Sydney will forever hold a special place in British hearts and as one young cox heads Down Under she is only too aware of the history that has gone before her.

FULL COVERAGE: Click here for full coverage of Great Britain's aspiring Olympians going for gold in Sydney

Lily Van Der Broecke heads to the Australian Youth Olympic Festival and will compete on the same stretch of water where Sir Steve Redgrave secured his fifth consecutive gold medal and closed the curtain on his Olympic odyssey in 2000.

The 17-year-old is part of the 20-strong rowing squad that will head to Sydney, bidding to repeat the heroics of the class of 2007 who claimed 12 medals, six of them gold.

And Van Der Broecke, who is adamant she will be bursting with pride as she takes to the water, hopes it will not be her last taste of an Olympic venue.    

"We're all so aware of what happened there in 2000 and the history associated with it," she said. "Steve Redgrave is one of Britain's greatest ever Olympians so to compete where he got his fifth medal will be unbelievable. 

"London 2012 is the goal for me especially as it's in England and just down the road. That means so much more.

"I want to give something back to the country that has put me on that level to compete in the first place.

"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity so you should really take advantage and give all you can over the next few years to make sure you're in a position to get on the team come 2012.

"Sydney is a really big opportunity and a stepping stone for the London 2012 Olympics or future world championships."

And Van Der Broecke is already focused on what she wants get out of her trip to the Southern Hemisphere.

"I really want to get gold. Everyone starts at the same level, so it's up to us to see how far we can take it - if we want to go far then we can do it," she added. 

Another Brit, 18-year-old Jonny Walton, who will be taking to the water when the rowing kicks off on January 17, revealed he was left pinching himself when he found out the news of his inclusion. 

"I didn't believe my coach when he said that I was going. I asked him to stop winding me up but it was true, my coach got a phone call saying I'd been selected," he said.

"I didn't expect to achieve anything like this at the beginning of the season. I'm not a junior anymore for rowing so I just expected it all to be local and domestic races.

"At the start of the season I heard about Sydney but I thought there was no way I was going to go. I never dreamt of this and I was totally shocked."

ANDY PEARCE