Bates took up table tennis when she was nine years old

Lincolnshire table tennis sensation Emily Bates says she has set her sights on a place at the 2012 Olympic Games.

The 14-year-old from Grantham is ranked second among Great Britain's juniors.

She has won more than 20 national titles and has been selected for the World Schools Championship in the Czech Republic in March 2010.

Bates told BBC Radio Lincolnshire: "It will be hard but 2012 is possible. If I keep pushing and keep working on my fitness then I have a chance."

She took up the sport at the age of nine, after becoming interested when her brother received professional coaching, and now devotes much of her time to table tennis.

"I play around 22 hours during the week and then at weekends I'm at tournaments in Germany," she said.

Bates is among the nominees for the annual Lincolnshire Sports Awards, which will be presented on Thursday.

Her coach Dennis Neale added: "She's still a novice in world table tennis but she's improving all the time and she's won everything she can in England.

"She now just has to progress to senior level. Potentially she has what it takes but she has to peep putting the hard work in."

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