In one way or another, it's going to be a big year for Colchester's star athlete Sarah Claxton.

The ultimate prize will be selection for the Great Britain Olympic team for the Sydney 2000 Olympics and to that end Sarah has been training throughout the winter, five days a week.

Under the watchful eyes of coaches Judy Vernon and Dennis Costello, the 20-year-old has worked hard since the end of the 1999 track season and is hoping all that hard work will pay off for her this summer.

She has upped her strength training since returning from a visit to the Sydney stadium with coach Vernon in September, determined to make a return to the arena but this time competing for an Olympic medal.

She said the trip has taught her a lot and has made her even more determined to go back there as part of the British Olympic team.

Sarah starts out on what she hopes will be her breakthrough season with a 60 metres hurdle race at an indoor meeting at Crystal Palace this Saturday.

She then races at the South of England Indoor championships in Bedford on January 22, again in the 60 metres hurdles and then a week later takes part in the Three A's Championships at the NEC, Birmingham in the hurdles and long jump.

If all goes to plan it will be at this meeting she makes the long jump qualifying mark of 6.56 metres, then it will be down to the selectors.

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