SALLY CONWAY has taken a huge step closer to realising her dream of competing at London 2012, eight years after playing a part in the bid to bring the Olympics to these shores.

The 25-year-old from Thornbury has been nominated for a spot in Team GB by the British Judo Association after winning her -70kg category at the British Open last weekend, and the British Olympic Association are expected to confirm her selection next month.

Conway was a teenager making her first steps on the junior international stage when she spent a day with athletics legend Lord Sebastian Coe – the chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympics – in 2004 to promote the bid at ExCeL, which is the venue for judo, boxing, taekwondo, wrestling, fencing, table tennis and weightlifting, before the City was awarded the Games ahead of Paris.

She was identified then as a candidate to represent Britain at London 2012, which is now tantalisingly close to becoming reality.

“It seems like so long ago now, I can’t believe how fast it has come around,” said Conway.

“Seb Coe was very nice, friendly and chatty. It’s always been a goal and a dream to be involved (at London 2012).”

Conway was impressed by the facilities at ExCeL when she went there for an Olympic test event and will almost certainly be heading back there on Wednesday, August 1 when the women’s -70kg competition takes place.

Not satisfied with competing at a home Olympics, though, Conway is aiming to become the first Brit to win a gold medal in judo at the Games.

She said: “It would be amazing to win any medal, but to win gold would be extra special. Being in London and being the first one would be pretty impressive.

“There were only a few seats in the test event but it was jam-packed full of supporters, so it was a good test of what it’s going to be like.

“I thought it was amazing and the Olympics will be bigger and better.

“I’ll have friends and family supporting me and the home crowd cheering, so the whole experience of being in London will be great.”

Despite feeling disappointed with a seventh place finish at the European Championships in Russia last month, Conway’s performance gave her enough encouragement that she is coming good at the right time for the Olympics.

She said: “I felt like I fought well against all the players I came up against but I was disappointed because I lost to a couple of girls I beat previously.

“If I could’ve beaten them in the same day I would have had a better result, but I was happy with how I performed and I’m really looking forward to coming up against them again.

“Some of my training is now beginning to work in competition situations so hopefully it’s all coming together at the right time for the Olympics.

“At the beginning of the year I broke my wrist, but once I came back I was really happy with my performances. Things are going in the right direction, so I’m confident and positive about the Olympics in the summer.”

Like all Olympians, Conway has had to make sacrifices to reach her goals and she moved away from Thornbury to Ratho in Edinburgh to train full-time with other members of the Great Britain judo squad as an 18-year-old after the training facilities at Bisham Abbey closed.

The former Marlwood School pupil was introduced to the sport at the age of ten by her dad, Mark, who was a coach at Thornbury Judo Club, and admits it is difficult being so far away from her family.

“I’d love to see them more,” said Conway, who returns to Thornbury once or twice a year.

“My dad’s been such a big influence, he took me to different training sessions, he travelled to every competition and gave me support whenever I needed it.

“I couldn’t have done it without him or the support of my family and friends.”