LONDON 2012: Sibley not getting carried away despite Olympic host nation spots

By Charlie Talbot-Smith, Sportsbeat

KELLY Sibley has vowed to keep a level head despite being given exactly what she wanted - a potential table tennis place at the London 2012 Olympics.

GOING SOLO: With just one singles spot at London 2012 up for grabs, Kelly Sibley realises she cannot rest on her laurels in her bid for Olympic success

The 22-year-old was left fearing the worst last month after British Olympic Association chief executive Andy Hunt admitted to having reservations with giving Sibley and co the host nation places.

However after much deliberation Hunt, also the Team GB chef de mission, revealed on March 4 the BOA would be taking up the guaranteed places on offer in the singles and team events.

Only player one from both genders can compete in the singles while three in total contest the team event and Sibley admits she can't get carried away if she is to earn the sole place.

"Now that the announcement has been made and we know that we will be competing at the Olympics I can really start to focus on my training," said Sibley.

"I won't let it distract me though and I just need to push on with my training and give everything in every session with London now as the final goal.

"I am absolutely delighted and we were all worried that there might not even be an opportunity for us to compete but now we have.

"The coaches and I will sit down now and draw up a schedule and all of us can really start to look forward to the Olympics. Now we know we are going that will just push me on more."

Sibley is in the box seat to compete in the women's singles on July 28 2012, after she underlined her No.1 English ranking with victory at the National Championships in Sheffield.

She also took women's doubles gold with who she beat in the singles, English No.2 Joanna Parker, and admits the benefit of being told she may be going to 2012 is unrivalled.

"We all trained very hard for the nationals," she added. "And everyone has their own individual programmes and for me that means sometimes I'm here in England or sometimes I'm abroad.

"Either way this decision will allow us to have more training camps and allow us to spend more quality time with each as a team.

"And now that we are in the Olympics, it gives us that extra incentive to put 120 per cent into everything because we now know."