By Karen Evans

Last updated 19:52, Thursday, 21 August 2008

WE’VE seen the best of Britain this week at the Olympic Games – and now four young Allerdale hopefuls are ready to be part of the country’s next golden generation.

• View more pictures...

The four – swimmer Katie Bell, sprinters Chelsie Browbank and Tim Ward, and transplant games athlete Daymon Johnstone – will help the district to get into the Olympic spirit by raising a flag in honour of the 2012 games which will be staged in London.

They will raise the flag at Allerdale council’s headquarters on Sunday to signal the end of the Beijing games and the start of the four-year build up to the UK event.

Katie Bell, a member of Cockermouth’s swimming club, looks a promising contender to take a medal at the next games.

Katie recently scooped five medals at Vienna’s International Open Meet, including a gold medal and a personal best for her performance in the 100m backstroke.

Chelsie Browbank, from Wigton, is a 200 metre runner who has represented Cumbria six times and was an English Schools finalist.

She and double northern sprint champion Tim Ward, of Greysouthen, who is also an English international, are both aiming to compete at the games.

Daymon Johnstone, of Seaton, has represented Britain at the World Transplant Games.

Allerdale’s acting council leader Coun Margaret Jackson said: “ The countdown has begun for the Olympic Games coming to Great Britain. “Allerdale council is delighted to take part in the united celebrations and is proud of its young sporting stars training to become future Olympic champions.”

The flag will be displayed at Allerdale House, Workington, from Sunday to September 30.

Meanwhile, three other sporting figureheads from Cumbria will climb to the top of Scafell Pike on Sunday to unfurl another London 2012 Olympic flag.

Mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington, fell running legend Jos Naylor, 72, and long distance runner Laura Park, 16, will climb to the 978m summit and plant the flag.

Sir Chris, of Caldbeck, said: “Mountaineering was one of the original sports identified by Baron de Coubertin for inclusion when the modern Olympics began in 1896, so this is a fitting event to mark an exciting four years for British sport.

“The whole of the world’s eyes will be on London in four years time, so we want to kick off our Olympic adventure in style in Cumbria.”

Jos Naylor, the best known fell runner Cumbria has ever produced, said: “It’s always a pleasure to be at the top of Scafell Pike as it’s got one of the greatest viewpoints in the country.

“Hopefully the publicity that’s generated around the Olympics will encourage more and more young people to take up sport.”

Laura Park, the Maryport-based distance running sensation who has already won six national titles and hopes to compete in the 2012 Olympics, said: “It’s an exciting prospect to be flying the Olympic flag and certainly gives me a clear goal to aim for in four years time.

“It’s a great honour to be asked to accompany two sporting legends to the highest point in England to mark this occasion.”

Cumbria County Council’s leader Tim Stoddard said: “We’re all setting our sights high for the 2012 games, so flying the flag on the roof of England is a suitable start to our Olympic journey.”