If London is awarded the 2012 Olympics today, a whole generation will be able to dream of starring in a British Games. Chief Sports Writer Scott Wilson profiles six North-East youngsters already setting their sights on 2012

PAUL DRINKHALL (Table Tennis)

IF Loftus-based Paul Drinkhall has anything to do with it, he will not be making his Olympic debut in 2012. Despite his tender years, the 14-year-old is hoping to play on the biggest stage of them all four years before.

Drinkhall is England's brightest table tennis prospect and the North-East's most likely Olympian in seven years time.

A national winner at the age of ten, he was Britain's Under-16 and Under-18 champion by the time he turned 14.

He made his England senior debut last November and is already one of the world's top-30 Under-18s and ranked higher than anyone else born after 1990.

A member of Ormesby Table Tennis Club, Drinkhall makes regular trips to China - the powerhouse of global table tennis - to hone his game.

His primary target is next year's Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, with an appearance at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing looking increasingly likely.

HOLLY SMITH (Badminton)

EAST Herrington's Holly Smith provides proof of the way in which a successful 2012 bid could inspire a generation of youngsters to take up sport.

Watching Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms win an Olympic silver last year in the mixed doubles badminton inspired her to step up her own interest in the sport. Twelve months on, and she hasn't looked back.

The ten-year-old, who trains four times a week, recently completed a record-breaking clean sweep of nine different titles at the Durham County championships.

She won the singles, doubles and mixed doubles at her own age group of Under-11s, before repeating the treble success in the Under-13 and Under-15 categories.

Unsurprisingly, Holly was named Durham County's most improved player after winning all 20 of the regional Under-11 tournaments she has entered this year.

She made her England debut at Under-13 level in Belgium earlier this summer and was crowned national Under-11 champion in Milton Keynes last weekend.

"I started off playing tennis but I like badminton a lot more," said Holly. "I think I'm better at it and it's already given me the chance to go and play against some of the best in Europe. One day, I hope I'm playing against the best in the world."

KATE AVERY (Athletics)

DAME Kelly Holmes's double gold might have set a new benchmark for British middle-distance running, but Newton Aycliffe's Kate Avery is hoping to emulate her achievements on home soil in seven years time.

The 13-year-old, who runs for Shildon AC, is already establishing herself as one of the country's brightest prospects in the most high-profile Olympic sport of all.

The biggest success of Kate's fledgling career came in February when she was crowned National Under-13s Cross-Country champion at Birmingham.

She then followed that up by finishing fifth in the Under-14s English Schools National Cup in Norwich - running against girls almost two years older than her - an achievement which saw her selected for an international vest the following month.

Her summer programme has seen her switch to the track, and she will be hoping for more success this weekend when she runs in the 1,500m at the English Schools Track and Field Championships in Birmingham, again running against girls who are more than a year senior to her.

"Kate's achievements are even better when you consider the ages of some of the girls she's been running against," said coach Dave Matthews.

LAUREN ANDERSON (Gymnastics)

South Durham Gymnastics Club is well established as a breeding ground for talent and, in Lauren Anderson, the Spennymoor-based outfit have another champion on their hands.

The ten-year-old, from Wingate, has already won two North-East regional championships in the women's artistic category.

The event, which sees competitors compete in four disciplines - vault, beam, bar and floor - is the entry point for most young gymnasts who go on to achieve Olympic glory.

Lauren, part of the club's elite squad of 30, already has five years' experience under her belt and is being trained to international level.

She is ranked 11th in the country in her age group and is hoping to improve that mark at the National Championships in November.

"I train four nights a week at the moment and I love it," said Lauren. "I like being on the beam the best and I think that's where I see myself specialising.

"I'd love to think I might be competing in the Olympic Games one day but, even if I wasn't, I'd love to get the chance to see the best in the world up close."

EMMA REID (Fencing)

As London and Paris prepare to cross swords in Singapore later today, one of the country's leading young fencers is already dreaming of showcasing her skills in the Olympic arena.

Coxhoe's Emma Reed is a member of Great Britain's official sabre club and, despite only being 13, is already ranked amongst the top 12 juniors in the country.

Trained by former Olympic gold medallist Laszlo Jakab at Durham University, Emma has won a host of competitions this year as she continues to turn heads on the national stage.

Her greatest success came in March when she won the Under-13 category at the prestigious Leon Paul Junior Series event in Camden, beating fellow North-Easterner Rebecca Hopkins into second place.

Emma is supported by Sport Aid Northern , a Durham-based charity that gives financial assistance to talented young sportsmen and women.

"Emma is just one of the many youngsters we help," explained regional director, Barbara Johnson. "We only support youngsters competing in Olympic sports.

"Sometimes those sports, like fencing, don't get the attention and the support they need. If London were to host the Olympics, a lot of the region's youngsters would find themselves increasingly thrust into the limelight."

MICHAEL ROBINSON (Swimming)

Darlington's Michael Robinson is spearheading a host of North-Eastern youngsters who are all hoping to mark their mark in the nation's swimming pools in the next seven years.

The 12-year-old, who trains for 11-and-a-half-hours a week at the town's Dolphin Centre, is hoping to underline his potential in next month's National Championships in Sheffield.

He qualified for the national finals in April, achieving three qualifying times in three swims at a regional event in Rotherham.

A true all-rounder - Michael has won medals at freestyle, breaststroke and butterfly - he is hoping to emulate one of his heroes, Australian legend Ian Thorpe, by excelling on the Olympic stage.

If his recent victories at the North-Eastern Counties, Northumberland and Durham and Scottish National events are anything to go by, that might not be such a distant dream.