BBC SportOlympics

By Matt Slater

Inside Sport Beijing Special, BBC ONE, Saturday 23 February, 1310 GMT

Sir Clive Woodward says Britain punches below its weight at sport because young talent is not given sufficient support.

The British Olympic Association's elite performance director wants Team GB to copy the Australian model for success.

"A talented person there gets the kitchen sink thrown at them to help them achieve world-class status," Woodward told the BBC's Inside Sport.

"But we don't put enough investment into enough of our young stars. That is something I am keen to turn around."

The Rugby World Cup-winning coach turned Olympic coaching guru spent five years Down Under in the late 1980s and has made no secret of his admiration for the Australian approach to elite sport.

"[Sporting success] is how they represent their country, it's how they show it off," said Woodward.

He used Australia as a yardstick for English rugby during his time in charge of the national team and is now doing the same with British Olympic sport.

Once [the Chinese] find their talented athletes they put a lot of investment behind them to make sure they represent China in the best possible way Sir Clive Woodward

Despite having a population three times the size of Australia's, Britain has not beaten its Commonwealth rival in the medal table at a summer Olympics since 1988.

The last two Games have seen Australia finish fourth and Britain 10th in the table but the BOA has set Team GB the target of finishing fourth in London in 2012.

Woodward believes 18 gold medals should be enough to achieve that goal and remains confident it can be done.

He is, however, reluctant to set targets for Team GB at this summer's Games in Beijing, where he expects the hosts to beat the Americans in the medal stakes.

"I think China will change the Olympic medal table - and not only in Beijing, but in London and future Olympic Games too," said Woodward.

"When you see what they are building in terms of their sporting empire, it's not just for Beijing and it's not just Olympic sports.

"They've got a vast population but the same thing applies [as in Australia]. Once they find their talented athletes they put a lot of investment behind them to make sure they represent China in the best possible way."