THE one cast-iron certainty about the forthcoming Olympic Games in Sydney is that Britain will be among the also-rans when the medal winners are counted.

And is it any wonder when we consider the plight of Burnley Olympic gymnast Craig Heap?

This talented man, who sacrificed years of his youth training and grafting to achieve world class status, was having to survive on a £70-a-week grant.

He was seriously considering his long-term future when the medical fabric firm, Smith and Nephew, based in Brierfield, decided to help him out after reading of his plight in the Evening Telegraph. They gave him a cheque for £11,000.

Well done Smith and Nephew. It was a wonderful gesture and as far as Craig was concerned it was a lifeline.

Such a situation would never have arisen in the USA or Australia or any other country that takes participation in the Olympics seriously. Had Craig lived in one of those countries he would have been earmarked for stardom at an early age.

His sports organisation, generously backed by central government, would have seen to it that he lacked for nothing.

Facilities would have been state of the art and he would not have had to worry about earning a living outside his sport.

The situation in Britain has improved in recent years. But it is still only the stars who attract the money.

The funding and facilities to assist hundreds of young hopefuls are simply not there.

They and their dedicated coaches are left to struggle through as best they can and that is why only a handful make it to the ranks of the world's elite.

Craig Heap said he thought of giving up his sport after the Olympic Games because of lack of funding.

It leaves us wondering how many other promising athletes have quit because the struggle to find adequate backing has been too much.

The running up of the Union Flag over the Olympic rostrum will continue to be a rare occurrence until Britain starts taking its young athletes seriously.