THE top man in British table tennis has tipped Alice Loveridge for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The highly respected Steen Hansen, who is the British Table Tennis Federation’s performance director, will oversee the 15-year-old Sarnian’s development that will, hopefully, see her take part in the Games.

‘I heard about Alice four years ago, that there was a diamond in Guernsey,’ said the Dane.

‘I feel she has a chance to be ready for 2012. It is going to be tough but we feel she has a chance.

‘2012 is the dream but 2016 is more realistic. But it’s up to her. We’ve got everything [with her] you need to become a top-class player.’

This week has seen Loveridge (pictured) begin life at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield as a member of the British table tennis squad.

She is the youngest of five women players that have been chosen for the intensive training schedule.

Of the others, two are the current numbers one and two in England, one is from Wales and one from Northern Ireland.

Loveridge will spend three weeks every month at the centre that is designed to foster the talents of elite athletes and create British Olympic stars.