So many balls in the air for one so young: Alice Loveridge can qualify for the Youth Olympics via several continental qualifying events. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0899411)

She will be Great Britain’s sole table tennis entry for the 2010 Youth Olympics.

Since September, the 15-year-old Sarnian has been based at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield with the Great Britain senior development squad for the 2012 London Olympics.

She was informed by British Table Tennis Federation performance director Steen Hansen that they were putting her forward for the inaugural Youth Olympics, which is being held in Singapore from 14 to 26 August.

But Loveridge will have to qualify to get there.

‘It’s a tough competition but we feel she’s improved so much since she’s moved [to Sheffield] so we feel she’s got a chance,’ said Hansen.

Entry for Singapore is restricted to 32 places.

There is a complicated procedure for qualification and 20 players have already qualified through their world rankings, continental championships, the cadet challenge and junior circuit victories.

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