COMPTON swimming champion, Julia Beckett, has been named an "inspiration" by Dame Kelly Holmes.

The double Olympic gold medallist told Hampshire schoolchildren earlier this month that they should look no further than 20-year-old Miss Beckett for sporting inspiration.

Julia, who is currently in Melbourne for the World Swimming Championships, said she was "thrilled" that Dame Kelly had used her as an example of sporting achievement and inspiration.

Julia's mum, Catherine Beckett, said: "I spoke to Julia last night and she was absolutely thrilled to know Kelly Holmes had said these lovely things about her."

Mrs Beckett, an amateur champion swimmer herself, said: "I can't help but agree with everything she's said - to see someone you know or lives nearby achieve those things brings everything much nearer."

The former Peter Symonds student has enjoyed a successful year, most notably last March when she won a silver medal for the 200m-relay at the Commonwealth Games.

Dame Kelly, who is fronting the Girls Active campaign to encourage girls to stay in sport, told children at a Farnborough school to look at Julia's achievements for inspiration.

She said: "Not every town has a sporting role model, but Winchester and the surrounding areas have exactly that in the form of Julia Beckett.

"Julia is on the verge of some unbelievable experiences, and has already tasted life at a major championship when she travelled to Melbourne.

"And having somebody like that on your doorstep should inspire the next generation of girls to continue playing sport after the age of 18.

"If you give the girls a voice and a chance to do more activities like we are, suddenly they think wow', I actually like playing sport.

"Fortunately I liked athletics and Julia swimming, but teenagers have now changed and are engaged by different mediums - they like music and they like to have fun - so we need to find a new range of activities."

Miss Beckett, daughter of George Beckett, the leader of Winchester City Council, swam the heats and finals of the 4x 100m relay as part of the World Swimming Championships in Melbourne this week.

The team came eigth, falling just short of the British record. She will swim the 4x200m relay on Thursday.

Dame Kelly is the National School Sport Champion, a Government-backed role that is supported by the Youth Sport Trust and Norwich Union.