Weightlifter Zoe Smith has spoken of her excitement at being selected to represent Great Britain at this summer's Olympic Games, insisting: "This is the biggest day of my career so far."
The 18-year-old was this morning confirmed as part of a five-strong team of GB lifters along with Natasha Perdue, Gareth Evans, Peter Kirkbride and Jack Oliver - all of whom will compete at their first Olympics in London.
It represents the pinnacle of five different journeys for each of the athletes, not least Smith, who claimed bronze at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and has broken hundreds of British weightlifting records since making the switch from gymnastics six years ago.
"I'm officially part of Team GB and that's the best feeling, I've worked so hard to get here and I'm so glad to have finally achieved it," she told Press Association Sport.
"Obviously there will be bigger days than this next month but this is the biggest day of my career so far, having my name announced in Team GB, and I couldn't really be happier to be honest."
Smith added: "I've been working towards this ever since I was about 12, I remember one of the first things Andy (Callard), my coach, said to my mum was 'she could really go all the way, but then again east London isn't that far!'.
"So literally from when I was 12 he had me going for the Olympic Games and we've made it."
Another lifter on an incredible journey is Welshman Evans.
The 26-year-old gave up his life as a painter and decorator to move to Leeds last July in order to be based near British Weight Lifting's High Performance Centre.
He has certainly benefited from the more professional approach but the Olympic dream has come at a cost, with Evans having to move away from his young daughter, who recently turned four, in order to put in the work required.
After today's news, an excited Evans said: "I've been a weightlifter since 1998, I've been lifting longer than anyone else on the squad. I've had time off here and there with things like work and the birth of my daughter, but it's my passion. I've always gone back to it, I love it.
"Especially over the last 12 months, the sacrifice of leaving full-time work, friends, family and especially my little girl, it's just desserts really.
"I'm happy for everyone, there's a lot of people who are unsung in my career - especially my parents, my coach in Holyhead Ray Williams - there's too many people to thank."
At 36, Perdue is the most senior member of the quintet.
The Swansea-born lifter, a former national karate champion, has had to combine her full-time training regime with her day job at the refuse department of Leeds City Council.
But she will now get the chance to compete at ExCeL in London and follow in the footsteps of her father Terry, who represented Great Britain at the Mexico 1968 and Munich 1972 Games.
Perdue said: "I can't describe in words how happy I feel and I keep pinching myself to make sure I'm not dreaming.
"I waited two weeks for the call and when it came I didn't want to answer it in case it was bad news. I asked them to repeat it about three times just to make sure!"
Commonwealth Games silver medallist Kirkbride, from Kilmarnock, shared his team-mates' enthusiasm after his selection.
"I'm excited to find out about being selected as part of the team," he said.
"Winning Commonwealth silver was a great moment for me, and I hope to perform better than I did in Delhi."
And Bexleyheath's Oliver, 21, completes the line-up.
"I'm really excited to be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime chance," Oliver said.
"I feel ready to rise to the occasion and try to make my country proud."
