Two young Sussex athletes have landed a trip of a lifetime with Olympic double gold medallist Kelly Holmes.

Danielle Christmas and Charlotte Best fly out to South Africa on October 25 for a month-long UK Athletics training and education camp run by Holmes.

The Crawley duo were personally selected by the middle-distance ace, who grabbed 800m and 1,500m glory in Athens.

They will join six other athletes who went through the selection process in Birmingham in July when Holmes whittled 15 triallists down to eight.

Crawley club chairman Nigel Christmas, Danielles father, said: It is a trip of a lifetime for the girls. They couldnt ask for anything better than to learn directly off someone who has won two Olympic gold medals at the same Games.

Danielle wasnt sure whether to go because she is just about to start sixth form but I told her she had to grab the opportunity while it was there.

Theyve got the trip because of good performances, plus showing the right motivation and open-minded attitude in front of Kelly. Some went into the trials with better results than Danielle and Charlotte but didnt have the right mindset because they thought their way was the only way.

It is not just a training camp. It will also give them an education into what life is like as a full-time athlete so they will learn about psychology, diet and physiotherapy. It will be intensive.

Kelly wants athletes to be ready for the realities at a younger age to help the likes of Danielle and Charlotte follow her to Olympic successes.

Christmas believes it reflects well on his club.

He said: Were pleased that 25 per cent of the athletes going with Kelly are from Crawley. We feel theyve benefited at the club because we have good coaches and social scene. Everyone is well-motivated.

Danielle is coached by Charlottes father Mark and, as she is three years younger than Charlotte, some of what Charlotte has learned rubs off on Danielle.

It is a reward for sparkling seasons from the middle-distance aces.

Danielle, 16, excelled at 1,500m. She won for Great Britain under-20s against Australia after finishing runner-up in the nationals. She claimed the English Schools crown and triumphed in the Home International. Danielle, who competes in the under-20 event at the Great North Run today, also took the national under-17s 800m title.

Charlotte, 19, a national 800m under-17s champion, won a bronze medal at under-20s this summer. She also won her race in the Australian international and guided GB to fifth in the 4x400m relay at the World Junior Championships.

Danielle said: Were both looking forward to it, we couldnt be more excited. We knew we were going to South Africa before the Olympics and it was amazing to watch Kelly do what she did in Athens knowing we were going to benefit from her advice first hand. It will be so motivational. Id love to get to the Olympics one day.

I did hesitate at first because of college but knew this chance would never come round again.

The camp will be in Potchefstroom, near Johannesburg, Holmes major training base for the past eight years. The eight chosen will attend a medical at Crystal Palace on October 16.

The other six chosen for the Norwich Union-backed trip are Laura Finucane (Lancashire) Jo Harper Derbyshire, Joanne Finch (Glasgow), Non Stanford (Swansea), Rachael Thompson (Liverpool) and Dannielle Walker (Staffordshire).

Holmes, 34, said: I am as keen as ever to show the next generation all sides of being a full-time athlete, both good and bad, and hope that these girls will enjoy the experience and return.

I have planned the camp since January and am very pleased that Norwich Union have agreed to fund my initiative.