From Olympic ambition in 2012 to Olympic Games reality in 2016, trampolinist Bryony Page has come a long way in four years.
Back in 2012 Page was part of Team GB’s Olympic Ambition programme, for talented youngsters targeting competing at future Olympics.
Four years on and she is on the verge of doing just that, having been selected as part of the three strong Team GB trampoline squad for Rio alongside Nathan Bailey and Kat Driscoll – the latter a fellow Ambition programme graduate herself from 2008, who will be going to her second Olympic Games after competing at London 2012.
“In London we got to visit the village and watch my event, it was such a valuable experience,” said 25-year-old Page.
“Kat was on the ambition programme in Beijing so it really does work.
“We got to experience a little bit of what it might be like in the village, with the atmosphere and the size of things.
“Plus just having it in London, in our home country, everyone could see up close what it was like.
“I’ve watched the Olympic all my life and the first Olympic moment I can remember is Tara Lipinski in 1998, figure skating.
“That’s when I can remember having that feeling of the Olympics being the pinnacle of sport and every other sport being there too.
“So I have an idea of what Rio might be like, but I’m sure that when we get there it will be absolutely incredible being there with Team GB and that one spirit throughout everyone.”
In the past four years Page has become a three-time British Champion, won team gold on both the world and European stages, as well as finishing fifth in last year’s Odense World Cup event to book a quota place for Team GB in Rio - but she still had doubts about whether she would be going to Rio.
“When I saw the phone call I nearly passed out, I was so nervous,” added Page, who began trampolining aged nine but who’s sporting career took off when she went to the University of Sheffield and began training there.
“Then when they said I was being nominated to be on the team I was crying, and crying, I was so happy, it just feels incredible.
“There were those ‘am I going to make the team?’ moments, ‘have I done enough?’ But I have and it’s a really amazing feeling.”
Sportsbeat 2016