WARRINGTON’S Holly Lam-Moores is on the verge of realising her childhood ambition at London 2012, but the 21-year-old insists the hard work is only just beginning.

Lam-Moores was named on Thursday in Team GB’s women’s handball team that will make history at the Games this summer.

Britain have never before had a handball team compete at an Olympics but after London won the bid to host this summer’s Games a project was put into place to find the right talent.

And Lam-Moores – who is set to be one of the stars of the GB team - admits that the chance to represent Team GB was top of her agenda as far back as in 2006, when she was supposed to be studying for her GCSEs.

“As soon as London won the bid I told my Mum I was going to play handball in Denmark and represent Team GB at these Olympics,” said Lam-Moores, who is part of the Lloyds TSB Local Heroes initiative.

“She told me I had to focus on my GCSEs first of all and I could only go to Denmark if I got straight As, so I worked hard and made sure that I did and it’s been an amazing journey ever since.

“I moved to Denmark in 2008 and it just all seemed so far away.

“But it’s just flown by, especially this past year, and it feels like a dream beginning to come true now and I can’t wait.

“It’s quite overwhelming; we will definitely have to focus on putting all those things to one side and getting our performance right.

That’s why the team are going down a week before competition, to get used to everything, the atmosphere.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, it’s a really special moment in our lives and the last thing we want to do is mess that up because we’re too excited.

“It’s been really intense, difficult at times but you look at the outcome and how far our team has come and it’s just amazing.

“You can see in the results that we are getting now just how far we have come.”

The 14-strong British squad will head into the Games with their stated target of getting out of the group stages at the forefront of their minds.

In a group that includes the likes of Russia and Montenegro, two powerhouses of the international game, it is certainly not going to be easy but Lam-Moores insists it will not be for lack of trying.

“The other teams have been together for so much longer than us like Russia who have been world Olympic champions multiple times,” she added after picking up her Team GB Olympic kit in Loughborough, “We played them last month and competed really well. Their coach said we are a team that people should watch out for the Olympics and it’s great to hear that and very motivating because we know we’re doing something right, we are turning heads in the handball world.

“The quarter finals are our aim and if we play our absolute best and make the most of our home advantage then it is reasonable and we can do it.

“We may not be the best team there but we will definitely be the best prepared team there, we can’t compete with the other nations in terms of experience but I guarantee will be as ready as them come the Games.”

Lloyds TSB Local Heroes, in partnership with SportsAid, provides support and funding to 346 of Britain’s most talented developing athletes on their journey to London 2012 and beyond. Since 2008, the programme has supported 1,000 athletes. Follow future stars at facebook.com/lloydstsblocalheroes