PLYMOUTH'S Sarah Barrow is sure the three-week training camp in Australia will reap benefits for herself and fellow Olympic hopefuls.

The 23-year-old was reunited with friends and former team-mates at Plymouth Diving for the 23-day pre-Christmas warm-weather stint at Sydney and latterly Adelaide.

Olympians Tom Daley and Tonia Couch, plus Leeds-based Barrow, all supervised by Plymouth Diving's GB coach Andy Banks, trained under the exacting eyes of national performance director Alexei Evangulov.

The rationale behind the long stretch Down Under for several of Team GB's World Class Podium athletes is clearly this summer's London Games.

Russia-born Evangulov is unrelenting in his search to produce the most competitive set of divers in what is almost certain to be the most important global sporting event any of them – even the phenomenon that is Daley – will ever take part in.

Barrow and Couch enjoyed a memorable 2011 and have nudged ahead in the 10-metre platform individual and synchro stakes.

But they know they will have to stay at the top of their game as in 2012, aside from the first home Olympics since 1948, there are a number of key tournaments where the eagle-eyed Evangulov will be scrutinising each twist, turn and entry into the pool.

Barrow said that being away for so long helped the group focus and train twice daily without the usual domestic distractions.

Although the former Leeds University undergraduate feels she did okay in 2011 and practiced her training drills religiously in Australia, Barrow admitted she is still no wiser on Evangulov's thinking.

Barrow told Herald Sport: "Personally, I think the three weeks training went well and, hopefully, I've done as much as I can to have impressed the selectors.

"But I couldn't say for certain. Alexei has his own ways of deciding who he'd like to see compete at the World Cup in February as well as the World Series.

"He likes to keep people on their toes. He encourages us all, but he never lets on what his thoughts are.

"Like the rest of the guys, I'm fine with that. Like them, I'm determined to grab the opportunity of competing for Great Britain in London – it's the chance of a lifetime for any athlete.

"We have one of the two women's 10m platform places for the Olympics already in the bag – claimed by Tonia at the World Championships in Shanghai.

"Although the two slots are qualifying places for Great Britain, I'd like it to be me who secures that second, 10m platform position.

"Then later in the summer I want to qualify for the Olympics at the trials.

"There is a lot yet to compete for, but the three weeks away in Australia were a major help."

Barrow is expected to compete at the British Gas National Cup in Southend at the end of January, and then give her profile a hefty hike by successfully chasing down the women's 10m platform qualifying place at the World Cup in London's new Aquatic Centre from February 20-26.