Kelly Holmes has tipped Dani Christmas to emulate her own glittering success.

The double Olympic champion has chosen Christmas, along with Crawley club-mates Emily Goodall and Hannah Brooks, to accompany her to the Commonwealth Games which start in Melbourne tomorrow.

The Sussex trio will spend two-and-a-half weeks in Australia in the latest On Camp With Kelly link-up, learning how to cope with the unique pressures surrounding a major championships.

Holmes believes the experience will be crucial to the trio's development and is confident the next time the Commonwealth Games come around in 2010 they will all be competing for medals.

But it is Christmas who Holmes has identified as the outstanding prospect from the group of six girls she is taking to Melbourne and is determined to help the 17-year-old fulfill her potential.

"All the girls I have worked with have got their own strengths," said Holmes, who was initially supposed to be competing in Melbourne before announcing her retirement.

"But Dani is one who can go all the way with the right guidance.

"She has natural talent which stands out. She has been part of the On Camp With Kelly scheme since day one so I want to support her all the way through."

She added: "This is just one of the many initiatives we are doing to help the girls. They have already shown remarkable progress and I'm sure they will learn a lot from the experience.

"I remember what it was like when I was younger and being thrown into a totally different environment at a major championships and still being expected to perform at the highest level.

"It is extremely difficult so, hopefully, this trip will stand the girls in good stead if they qualify for the Commonwealth Games in four years time. That has got to be a realistic target for all of them and this trip should inspire them to work towards that goal."

Holmes boasts a full set of Olympic, Commonwealth, World and European medals and should prove the perfect mentor for the three young Crawley stars on how to produce the goods when it really matters.

She will take them for warm weather training as well as arranging trips to the athletes' village and the finals of the 800m and 1,500m, the event in which she is reigning champion.

"They will be able to see how easy it is for competitors to get distracted by all the excitement and events going on," said Holmes. "They will also witness the effects of jet-lag on training performance as well as learning to focus their minds away from the distractions at home."

For Christmas it will be a return to the scene of her greatest triumph so far after winning the Commonwealth Youth Games 800m in Australia in December 2004.

"It is great that a double Olympic champion has such faith in me," said Christmas.

"I've formed a strong relationship with her over the last 18 months and whenever I have a problem I can turn to her.

"The whole On Camp With Kelly experience has been a dream come true for me. Most athletes would give anything to have the support of someone who has achieved what she has.

"I'll be 21 the next time the Commonwealth Games come around and it is my aim to be competing at them so it will be brilliant to see exactly what I am aspiring to."