THORNBURY judoka Sally Conway has said that despite celebrating her selection for the Rio Olympics next month, the real work still lies ahead.

Speaking to the Gazette while on training camp in Spain, Conway, who fought for Team GB in London 2012, said that her training intensity and focus increased the moment she was officially named.

She said: “It is a great feeling to be announced in the team and to be chosen to represent my country at the Olympics.

“We were given the day to celebrate our announcement in front of the media, but then it was right back to work as the real training starts there. I want to be as ready as I possibly can be for my first fight on August 10.”

To earn automatic selection for the games, Conway had to rank in the world’s top 14, which she confirmed after coming fourth at the final Olympic qualification “Masters” event in Mexico in May, cementing her place as 13th in the international rankings.

Laughing off the superstitious number, she said: “I just see it as a world ranking, a number that has won me my place. When we get to Rio it is pretty much a level playing field.

“I had some really good fights in Mexico, and even though I finished outside of the medals, if I can bring a similar quality to Rio, I will be pleased.

“What really matters is that I have booked my seat on the plane on July 29. I have the chance to fight and give everyone who has supported me along the way – all my friends, family and coaches - a performance they can be proud of.”

Joining her on the journey to Rio will be her mum, stepdad and one of her friends who are all set to watch in person, while her brothers and .

She said: “It is quite an expensive journey so I know not everyone who wanted to come can afford to make it out to watch, but I hope I will give them enough to keep them glued to the screen.”

One of the exciting moments in the build up to the games came last week, when Conway joined the rest of the team in visiting Birmingham to collect her official Adidas kit for Rio, designed by Stella McCartney.

“I know the design is really out there but, I really like the kit this time around. I think it will look really cool when we all turn up together in it.

“There was so much kit being given out, we pretty much have enough to wear something different each day we are in Rio.

“There were three or four big bags each full of jogging bottoms, t-shirts, trainers –anything we could need while we are out there.”

Playing down the international worry over the Zika virus, Conway said: “The worry over the virus is, of course, in the back of everyone’s minds, but I have a lot of faith in our doctors.

She said: “They have fully prepared us for our time out there, we have been given all the advice we could need to look after ourselves.

“We had a training camp out there when the news of the Zika virus had first grabbed headlines and we were given enough repellent that we didn’t even get a single bite.”