The 17-year-old Brighton and Hove field athlete will watch the Sydney Games over the next fortnight dreaming of one day competing at the world's greatest sporting jamboree.

Judy Oakes, who helps coach the Brighton, Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College student with Mike Winch at Crystal Palace, is convinced Claire will follow in her footsteps.

Shot putter Judy flew out to Australia this week to compete in her fourth Olympics with former Varndean College pupil and British No.1 shot putter Winch.

Sussex's leading junior athlete, outstanding this year, competes in shot and discus and Judy told Youth In Action: "Claire has got the potential to take part in the Olympic Games.

"There's a long way to go, of course. Soon she'll have to start weight training and must take correct advice.

"From my experience, the more you compete at the top level the more you cope with it. To sit with your rivals for half-an-a-hour before you compete can be tough and you have to learn to focus.

"But Claire has a good temperament and is a good competitor, very promising.

"Hopefully she'll give Mike another excuse to go out to future Olympics, although she should be accompanied by a couple of others because the group she is in is a very good one and they are pushing each other on.

"Meanwhile, I'm looking to make the final in Sydney."

Winch, a contemporary of the legendary Steve Ovett at school, also believes in Claire, who has been selected for next month's World Junior Championships in Chile.

The coach, who missed the Montreal Games in 1976 through injury, said: "She can go all the way. She has the talent and is a good trainer, despite having to do a lot of college work and her results this year prove that.

"She has been gaining experience in major games over the past couple of years reaching finals at the World Youth Games for instance, and she's only young.

"I feel it's helpful that I coach her with Judy and she certainly gets good competition in training.

"Getting to the Olympics is down to whether Claire wants to keep doing all the work. Currently she does But there are a lot of sacrifices, there is a need to train when it snows or whether it's Christmas.'

"Claire has talent but that has to be nurtured. I don't want to over stress her. You can over do it. The secret is consistency of training."

"Shot and discus are very different. The first is more explosive, the other more athletic. I think she may favour the discus. She has an unflappable temperament.

"I would love to take her to future Olympics. I've certainly had plenty of experience to help her. I know how to prepare while dealing with delays and frustrations that can occur.

Claire won the AAA of England under-20s discus last month after completing a hat-trick of All England Schools discus titles (junior, intermediate and senior) in June.

She threw a personal best 51.68m in the discus in the Brighton Open at Withdean last month. Claire also set a new best 13.98m in the shot of at the South of England Championships this summer.

Claire said: "I'm looking forward to watching all the sports in Sydney, not just athletics. But I'll still be thinking 'one day I hope I can be a part of the Olympics'. It's the most important competition there is, it's everyone's dream to take part. I know it will be a lot of hard work but everything I do in athletics is geared towards taking part one day. I'd be over the moon if I made it.

"Training with Mike and Judy is a big help. Mike is very good at helping with technique and Judy's good at motivation. Judy is an inspiration. What she's done has been amazing.

"I've been making steady progress. To win the discus at the Olympics this year a throw of 65m will be needed and the shot will require around 20m. I've got a way to go but I'll do my best."

Club-mate Samantha Redd sells lottery tickets to earn pocket money and even buys a few herself. If the All England Schools javelin champion from Burgess Hill hits the jackpot it would fund an Olympic programme for her to try and emulate her coach Tessa Sanderson.

The 16-year-old Haywards Heath College pupil has dominated her age group this year, completing a hat-trick of national schools triumphs in the summer.

Having Olympic champion Tessa, who recently linked up with Brighton Bears Basketball Club, as her coach is handy. Sam said: "She knows what it takes."