WINSLEY’S Sophie Williams admits that her head is still spinning after her dream selection for the Team GB Olympic team.
The 21-year-old, who trains full-time in Truro, was one of two women’s sabre competitors selected in the 10-strong British squad seven days ago and is now set to compete in front of the eyes of the world this summer in London.
But there has been no time to celebrate an Olympic call-up for Williams, who flew out to Italy on Wednesday for only her second ever appearance at the European Championships.
“I’m absolutely ecstatic - it’s all come so quickly and it feels like just yesterday that I found out,” Williams told the Wiltshire Times in London this week.
“We all knew we were going to be called (by British Fencing performance manager Alex Newton) in the morning at some point if we were successful and it was a very nerve-wracking morning.
“I was in London for training and I was constantly checking the signal on my phone and I didn’t sleep much the night before.
“This season, I was changing my mind about every 30 seconds – one minute I’d think I was in with a good chance and then the next minute, I’d think that there was just no way.
“I think the nerves haven’t really kicked in yet because it is all a bit of a blur at the moment. I think as soon as we’re in proper training for the Olympics after the European Championships, it will start to sink in.
“We’re all very aware that it’s fantastic to be selected but we’ve also got a job to do and we’re still focussed on that very much.”
British Fencing’s selection policy became embroiled in controversy when four fencers launched appeals after failing to make the team, including Williams’ sabre rivals Jo Hutchison and Chrystall Nicholl.
But the Winsley star insists that the dispute wouldn’t leave a sour taste in the mouth.
She added: “I just had to focus on training and my own performance because that side of it was really out of my control.
“Going to the Olympics can be the pinnacle of anyone’s career so it’s only natural that everyone wants a chance.
“At the end of the day, we’re all still good friends and it’s nothing personal.”
MEANWHILE, Bradford on Avon’s Ed McKeever was confirmed as one of nine Great Britain canoe sprint competitors for London 2012 by the British Olympic Association yesterday morning.
McKeever, who won the first two World Cup events of 2012 as well as the world and European Championships in 2010, is rated as a real gold medal prospect.
He said: “The next eight weeks until my race are going to fly by and I am excited and proud to be able to represent our country at the biggest sporting event the world has ever seen.”
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