Lisa Chapman has been painting the living room of the family bungalow while she recovers from a mystery illness that threatens her career.

Lisa, 16, who attends Hastings Sixth Form College, said: "This is a true test of my dedication to get to the top. If I really want it, I'll go back to swimming. But the sport has contributed to making me ill. I never used to allow myself time to recover, and that makes you question whether it is all worthwhile. Sometimes I'm not sure if it is. It's all up in the air."

Tonsillitis four months ago put a brake on a burgeoning career that resulted in selection for the Amateur Swimming Association World Class Potential squad, the new set-up implemented by British performance director Bill Sweetenham. He is the Australian who helped develop superstar Ian Thorpe.

Her aim had been next year's Commonwealth Games, then the Athens Olympics.

She broke the British junior 100m individual medley record held by Sydney Olympian Sue Rolph in an outstanding under-16s career which included a silver medal for relay in the European Championships. Lisa won three silver medals at the Commonwealth Youth Games and made her GB senior debut in San Diego last year before Sweetenham took her under his wing at the beginning of the year.

But then her health broke down.

Lisa said: "The tonsillitis made me extremely ill, stopped me training and doing any exercises."

She recovered from that, but since then has lost weight and her appetite and feels lethargic.

Lisa, from Flimwell, east Sussex, said: "I've been lounging about, not doing much because I've been very tired. I haven't been eating and, although I'm not anorexic, I've lost about a stone.

"Yesterday I didn't have anything to eat until four in the afternoon. I just don't get hungry. I used to love my food, I ate my parents out of house and home. But now I often just pick at food. I even feel sick when I've eaten. I've never been like that. It's crazy and worrying.

"This has led to loss of muscle and means I've been unable to train because you need fuel inside you to do that."

Seven blood tests have failed to come up with an answer.

Lisa believes it is stress-related, balancing her sport, education and private life.

She said: "There's been too much stress. The pressure to succeed was enormous. It felt like my whole life was run by my coaches, parents and club. I couldn't do this, I couldn't do that. I had my education as well, trying to make it to the second year at college was hard.

"Then I broke up with a boyfriend.

"I get stressed out easily, it's something I can't control and it all got too much. I had to have an extended break. I felt I deserved one after swimming non-stop for 12 years.

"My parents were shocked when I told them and I know my mum, although she and dad understand what I'm going through, wants me to go back.

"But I've got to want to do it for myself and I'm not on top form. I won't make a decision to go back until I feel 100 per cent."

Easing stress was the reason she hadn't wanted to even discuss swimming and she avoided watching the World Championships.

A bout of hayfever was also thrown in to the mix.

She said: "I had planned to come back in the summer but the hayfever put that on hold."

A visit from Sweetenham's right hand man John Atkinson, in charge of the WCP programme, made her feel better.

The Hastings Seagull said: "I'd felt really bad because I'd only just got on the programme.

"So much time, money and effort had gone into helping my swimming and I felt I'd just shoved it back in everyone's faces. John came to see me at my club and I thought he was going to tell me to get back in the water. But he told me to come back when I felt ready. I appreciated that."

The break has been theraputic.

Lisa said: "You live your life inside a bubble as a swimmer. I have found out how to be a normal kid, hanging out with friends, having a laugh, not waking up naturally at 5am knowing I've got a training session before college. I've been chilling out.

"But having a taste of life outside of swimming will not be a factor on whether or not I carry on swimming. I might get bored with it anyway."

Lisa is frustrated about the timing. Sweetenham is restructuring British swimming, including three national championships over three weeks, and decisions are being made about the Commonwealth Games in Manchester. Lisa knew she was in pole position to be part of the revolution following the belly flop by home swimmers in the Sydney Olympics.

She said: "It's all gone pear-shaped for me at the wrong time."

Lisa has stopped thinking about Manchester and beyond as far as her swimming is concerned.

She said: "There's no point the way things are."

Why she is willing to even think about carrying on is simple.

Lisa said: "I watch other sports with people getting all excited and I think to myself what are they getting excited about? But when I swim and do a personal best it is amazing to me. It means I've swum faster than I have done in my life. Getting to the Olympics would prove I was good enough to realise the dream.

"Besides, there are stresses in every job."

Lisa believes her story is a cautionary tale for any Sussex youngsters wanting to reach the Olympics and she has advice for them.

She said: "If they are dedicated, then they should do it. But you've really got to want to do it, to go through so much. People just see a couple of minutes in a pool and don't know what goes into it."