Jessica Walker wants to be sponsored by a tea company.

The Brighton-born canoeist could just get her wish if she paddles her way through the strain of being a genuine medal contender at the London Olympics.

After training or racing Walker likes nothing better than a nice cuppa.

She said: "I just really like tea and I make my own herbal teas. I'd love to be sponsored by a tea company.

"I like pukka teas, because they have nice boxes. A nice English tea would be quite nice, like PG Tips. Who doesn't like tea?"

No wonder Walker does to help fuel the dedication required to become an Olympic canoeist. It's a case of tea and teetotal for the 21-year-old, who lives in Marlow and trains nearby at the Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre.

She said: "I train three times a day six days a week. I start at eight o'clock in the morning, get home at six, have dinner and then it's straight to bed.

"It has been my full-time job since the age of 18. Sometimes after competition I get a couple of days off, so you can socialise, but you have still got to be careful what you do.

"If I was to go out and get drunk I couldn't train properly the next day and I wouldn't be going to the Olympics if you were going to behave like that.

"I could eat what ever I want but that is not going to help my training so I eat properly. Also, you'll only make your skin horrible if you eat badly!"

Walker is competing in her second Olympics. She was only 18 when she became the youngest ever British female canoeist four years ago in Beijing, where she was 17th in the K2 500 with Anna Hemmings.

She will be spearheading the women's boat this time in the K4 500 metres event on the waters of Eton Dorney in Buckinghamshire.

They finished fourth in a tight finish in the World Championships last year and are looking to go at least one better after repeating that place in the recent European Championships.

Walker is also in the individual event, the K1 200, which is in the Olympics for the first time. She came seventh in the World Championships, eighth in the Europeans, and has a realistic double medal chance, not bad considering she seemed cut out to become an athlete until a family outing to a canoe club.

"I was always good at sport at school and from the age of three I thought I would go to the Olympics," she said. "I always knew I was meant to do sport. I was good at atheltics and thought I would be a runner.

"I started paddling when I was ten at the Royal Canoe Club in Teddington and it was just absolutely lovely there. It was a hot day, lots of young girls having fun, and I just found it more versatile.

"My grandma's friend's grandson did it and he said come down. You know when it's like it is meant to be, kind of fate. I took to it straight away.

"There is much more to it. You've got marathons, sprints, K4's, K2's, K1's. When you are running you are just running. It's simple and it's you. The nice thing about canoeing is there is more to it."

Although she loves being in a canoe and likes the water, Walker hates swimming.

"My mum took me swimming from a young age," she said. "I didn't enjoy it. I like being in the water, obviously. We do swimming as part of our training but I don't any more because I just don't like it. I really struggle with the breathing. I am more of a runner.

"If I could be a runner I'd probably do 400 or 800 metres but I'd like to do the London Marathon and get under three hours, which is a big ask but would be quite an achievement."

So would winning an Olympic medal. It would certainly be something to talk about over tea.