Elise Laverick had a breather on the Sussex coast after qualifying for the Sydney Olympics.

Elise and the rest of the British Women's Eights rowing crew narrowly beat the Germans at a qualifying regatta in Lucerne to win their way through to the Olympic finals.

The 24-year-old from Poling, near Littlehampton has been a member of the British crew for three years and first picked up the rowing bug while in her last year at school.

She said: "I am a musician and was spending a lot of time with rehearsals and performances, so my mother suggested I take up a sport as well to give me regular exercise.

"I went on a week's course and was hooked."

Elise and the rest of the British rowing squad are flying to Brisbane next month where they will spend three weeks getting acclimatised before heading to Sydney for the Olympics.