For so long, Rotorua's Sarah Cowley has wanted to compete at the Olympics _ now her dream has been realised.
The 28-year-old has been named to represent New Zealand in the heptathlon at this year's London Olympics.
She is one of nine athletes named in the New Zealand athletics team for the games which get under way on July 27.
It will be Cowley's first Olympic Games. The heptathlete represented New Zealand at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
Cowley posted on her website it was "surreal'' to make the squad.
"It's official. I'm off to the Olympics! Pretty surreal feeling waking up to the news [yesterday] morning that something I've wanted for so long is going to become a reality. It's amazing.''
The former Lake City Athletics Club member said it had been a huge sacrifice but it was now worth what she had endured to make the team.
"When I think of the road that I've travelled to get to this point _ the ups and downs, setbacks with injuries, countless training hours smashing my body, feeling so tired at the end of the week [that] I can't be bothered moving, saying no to treats like a million times and all the rest of the choices I've made to be a better athlete and pursue my dreams. It has all been worth it, in this moment. You truly cannot buy this feeling.''
Cowley, in a training camp in Macolin, Switzerland, will travel to Cardiff to join the rest of the squad.
A former Rotorua Girls' High School student, Cowley is one of 185 New Zealand athletes competing at this year's Olympics, which equals the largest team sent to Beijing in 2008.
Cowley has been dynamic leading up to the games. The former Rotorua athlete, based in Auckland, produced four personal bests in reaching the Olympic standards earlier this year.
"Whilst [the announcement] is a big milestone there is a job to be done and I want to be in the shape of my life in London. I head to Cardiff this week to join the rest of the athletics team at my final training camp.
Competing at the Hypo-Meeting in Austria in May, Cowley scored a personal best 6135 points over the seven-discipline event, exceeding the 6050 points set by Athletics New Zealand and the New Zealand Olympic Committee as the requirement for Games selection.
Cowley's former athletic coach, Morag Owen-Mackechnie, told The Daily Post she was ecstatic.
"I knew she would do it way back when she was at secondary school. It was always her long-term goal and she has now achieved that goal.
"She has always had a really good work ethic, was always focused to get on with the job and do the work.''
Owen-Mackechnie said Cowley's determination shouldn't be underestimated and being ranked in the top 20 meant she was in with a chance to do well come competition day.
Cowley's event gets under way on August 3 with the 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put and 200m. The last three events; long jump, javelin throw culminating in the 800m will be run the following day.
Rotorua has 12 Olympians competing _ Valerie Adams, Sam Bewley, Lisa Carrington, Sarah Cowley, Mike Dawson, Bevan Docherty, Adam McGeorge, Carl O'Donnell, Julia Edward, Karen Hanlen, Luuka Jones and Sarah Walker.