TAVISTOCK Olympic modern pentathlete Heather Fell is 'focussed' and looking forward to competing in Beijing on August 22.
Heather and her fellow pentathletes have been taking part in altitude training in Font Romeu in France so missed the opening ceremony in China, but a mock ceremony was held in France as a substitute. Heather will fly out on August 17 with team-mate on the women's team, Katy Livingston.
Heather and Katy are currently ranked fourth and fifth in the world. Heather, 24, won silver at last year's European Championships in Latvia, before winning the World Cup in Millfield, Somerset in March of this year.
She won her second medal of the 2008 series by taking bronze in Kladno, the Czech Republic in May. Her performances in Kladno included personal bests in both the 200m swim and the 3km run.
She said after hearing of her selection in June for the games that Beijing could be 'a once in a lifetime opportunity' for her and she was going to 'try to get everything right and produce the performance of a lifetime'.
'If I can get everything right on the day I know I have a chance of a medal, and that's what I'm going to be completely focussed on,' she said.
Heather's mother, Doreen, said that Heather had returned to Bath and was due to be back in Tavistock today, Thursday. The decision had been taken to stay behind to train as they could train better at home.
'She is very focussed and, touch wood, all is going well,' Doreen said.
Training usually tapered off just before the competition, she added. Heather will have all five sports, shooting, fencing, swimming, riding and running, on August 22, starting at 8.30am and finishing at 8.30pm.
For the horse jumping section, the horses will be supplied by China. 'Heather is as experienced as everyone else in that aspect, but we have our fingers crossed as to what horse she gets. Sometimes you get a horse that just tickles the poles off.
'You have to have skill, but luck has got to be with you as well as the horses are chosen by ballot,' Doreen said. Competitors are only allowed to jump five fences on their allotted horse for practice.
Heather has established herself as one of Britain's top modern pentathletes.
She burst on the international scene in 2003 by winning the World Junior Championships in Athens, but then suffered a series of shin injuries that seriously restricted her ability to train.
Although none of the pentathletes attended the Olympic opening ceremony, they are hoping to be there for the closing ceremony on August 24.