Great Britain defender Sally Walton admits it was difficult to balance the joy of her first Olympic call-up with the disappointment of her team-mates who were not selected.
A 28-strong training squad, which has been together for the last three years, has now been whittled down to the final 16 plus two reserves.
Walton, who made her debut almost seven years ago, has played in four European Championships, two Champions Trophies and one Commonwealth Games but will make her Olympic debut this summer.
"I'm over the moon. This is the culmination of a lot of years of hard work," said the Bowdon Hightown player, who was the 100th athlete to be selected by Team GB for the London Games.
"Having not been involved in the last Olympic cycle this is the pinnacle of my career.
"Obviously it was tough for those people for whom selection did not go their way and there is that element that you have got a space that someone else has worked just as hard as you to get.
"The unique nature of this squad is that everyone is so close and we feel that hurt for them because we all support each other."
Players were informed by an 8am email several days ago and Walton said most admitted to having a sleepless night.
Coach Danny Kerry was visibly emotional as he addressed a press conference on Friday at the London Stock Exchange where captain Kate Walsh officially opened trading after the squad was announced.
"Words cannot describe how difficult it has been to make the final decision in selecting this squad," he said.
"I want to offer my congratulations to those that have been selected who I know will do our squad proud in London.
"I also want to offer my most heartfelt commiserations to those that have not been selected - they have given everything."
Walton is one of seven players making their Olympic debut as GB look to build on Beijing's fifth-place finish.
"In the squad there is a great deal of experience with World Cup bronze medal winners and Champions Trophy silver medallists but for the (Olympic) debutants there is probably a little bit of the feeling that ignorance is bliss," the defender added.
"We have not been to the Olympic Games before but we are ready to take the challenge head on.
"It brings that freshness into the team and everyone brings their own uniqueness to the squad."
Scots Laura Bartlett and Emily Maguire and Wales international Sarah Thomas are the only non-English players selected.
Squad: B Storry (GK), L Bartlett, A Danson, E Maguire, H Richardson, K Walsh (Reading), A Ball, N White (Slough); C Cullen, H Macleod, C Rogers, A Panter (Leicester), S Thomas (unattached); G Twigg (Clifton); L Unsworth (Loughborough Students); S Walton (Bowdon Hightown). Reserves: A Walker (GK), N Seymour (EuroCanterbury).
