The pair are among a 119-strong British team of youthful talent to travel to Sydney for the Australian Youth Olympic Festival next month.

The event, for 13 to 19-year-olds, is considered a stepping stone to the senior Olympic Games with 27 nations competing in 17 sports.

And the facts bear this out. Eight members of last year's British youth team went on to appear in Beijing this summer, including medal-winning gymnast Louis Smith.

Melton archer Lauren is one of just six archers selected for Sydney, while Hannah, from Wymeswold, has been selected to compete in pistol shooting.

The John Ferneley School pupil will be one of the youngest members of the team having turned 14 just two months ago, but few will match her for drive.

She has been punching above her weight almost since taking up the sport aged seven and this summer made her British team debut at the junior world championships in Turkey.

She said: "It is just amazing to be given this opportunity. It means everything to me. Archery has basically been my life for seven years."

Lauren's potential earned her a place on a special training programme for the 2012 or 2016 Olympics. A knock-on effect has been the increase in her daily training regime which she does religiously in her parents' converted front room.

She added: "I am shooting 200 arrows with a bow and 100 with a stretch bow every day. I've also been working with the team coach to perfect my shot.

"I just want to go and enjoy the experience as it'll only be my second international."

Hannah, meanwhile, heads into the competition in good form having shot a personal best last week in a county competition.

The A-Level student, who will be 17 on Christmas Eve, first shot competitively in the modern pentathlon in which she was crowned British age group champion in 2005.

The Holwell Rifle Club member has been on the Olympic Pathway programme for a year and has revised her targets upwards since.
She said: "This time last year it didn't look like I would have enough experience, but I've progressed so much in the last year 2012 is a definite possibility now. Ever since I heard it was going to be in London I wanted to be part of it.
"Sydney will be hugely important because of the experience I will get of competing at such a high level. It will be the closest I have been to the Olympics."
Hannah has been in superb form this year on the national and international junior circuit, reflecting the extra training she has put in.
She added: "I definitely want to get into the final and get a medal. If you didn't go into every competition with that aim there would be no point."