Constantine Louloudis used to switch off the TV when anyone mentioned the Olympics, but after getting himself fit for London 2012 fully intends to help Britain's eight row to gold.
The 20-year-old missed all three of the World Cup regattas because of a displaced vertebra in his back, which put his crew place as stroke in jeopardy.
However, after now proving his fitness and being added to the 52-strong Team GB rowing squad, the Oxford University student has his sights firmly set on success at the Games.
He said: "I was at home a lot [when I was injured] and whenever I turned the television on, there would always be something about the Olympics, and I would just turn it off, try to put it out of my mind and just do whatever I could to get better.
"However, I don't think there was any stage where I had given up on the Olympics because I was always hearing positive things from the guys in the crew.
"Everyone was trying to keep my spirits up.
"There was no quick fix for the injury, it needed to be put back into place slowly by the medical team."
Louloudis, who is has taken a year out from his Classics degree to make the Olympic squad, stroked Oxford to victory in the 2011 Boat Race and also claimed gold in the men's pair with George Nash at the under-23 world championships in Amsterdam last year.
Now, though, there is just one focus as the men's eight look to continue a fine Olympic record, returning gold from Sydney 2000 and a silver four years ago in Beijing.
The Old Etonian rower added: "There will be a lot of good crews there, but the target is to win.
"It has probably only just now hit me because I have spent the last two months trying to get myself better, so I am really excited and looking to take it on.
"As a crew, we are pretty single-minded and we all want the same thing, so we all work well together."
