Emma Eaves, 12, has become one of the youngest swimmers in Britain to qualify for the Olympic trials.

She sealed her spot when she recorded 1min.07.81sec in the 100m butterfly at the Southern Counties Longcourse Championships.

Emma said: "I'm pleased. It seems quite a big thing.

"I looked up at the scoreboard and went 'Oh my God'. I felt I had to pinch myself to confirm it was real.

"I was surprised and felt like shouting and screaming.

"The swim had wiped me out because that's what swimming butterfly does to you, but I was so happy I felt on a high.

"I was confident before the start and that helped me.

"I believe it was all down to the training and the support I get from my mum Angela."

Emma, from Portslade, has no pretensions of making the squad for Athens at next April's trial in Sheffield.

The Brighton club swimmer said: "The trials should be a great experience but I do want to get to the Olympics one day. That's what I talk about with my swimming friends.

"I am dedicated. I get up at 5am to train two or three mornings a week, train every weekday evening and compete at weekends. The early starts were hard when I started but you get used to it. The body wakes itself up.

"My friends outside swimming thought I was mad but now they understand. I'm missing out but I'd rather be swimming. It'll be worth it when I look back. I don't want any regrets and doing the best I can. I am competitive. I ignore the fact many of my opponents are friends.

"I've also found my favourite stroke. It is one of the hardest but I like it maybe because I'm good at it."

The Cardinal Newman (Hove) pupil uses the likes of Karen Pickering as an inspiration. World and Olympic medallist Pickering started at Emma's first club, Shiverers.

She said: "I watch Karen on the television and hope one day I can be in her position."

Her time, which secured senior and junior bronze medals at Crystal Palace, also earned her a European Junior Championship trial.

It all follows silver and bronze 100m medals at the national championships in the freestyle and butterfly respectively.

Clubmate Claire Manton, 17, achieved an Olympic qualifying time of 2min.24sec after winning the senior 200m individual medley at the Southern Counties event. Claire, from Hove, gained a senior bronze and junior silver in the 100m freestyle, plus a 400m individual medley bronze in both categories.

Brighton's Holly White, 15 next week, clocked an Olympic qualifying time a place ahead of Emma with 1min.07.75sec in the 100m butterfly. She won a senior silver and junior gold in the 50m butterfly ahead of clubmate Amy Kent who collected bronze.

Jack Smith, also Brighton, won silver in the junior 50 breaststroke.