Luke Cutts will clock out of his shift at a packing company in Goldthorpe today then go on a 6,000-mile journey to Rio where his life could change forever.
The 28-year-old pole vaulter from Thurnscoe will be on the plane to Brazil on Sunday with Team GB which contains superstars such as Jessica Ennis-Hill, Mo Farah and Andy Murray.
Cutts, a multiple British champion and the national record holder, will take part in the opening ceremony a week today before his qualifying event takes place on August 13 with the final two days later.
"I am excited and I will be even more excited when I get on the plane with all the other top sports people," the Commonwealth Games silver medallist told the Chronicle.
"Then I will be in a training camp for ten days, getting as sharp as I can while trying to stay injury-free. I am going to treat qualifying like a final and getting through that will be an achievement in itself. I reckon I can challenge for a medal but I will have to equal or better my PB of 5.83m because it will probably take at least that to get in the top three.
"I am in good shape but, as I have been telling everyone, I need good weather conditions to jump my best. We should get that in Rio.
"Anything is possible and to get an Olympic medal would be a one-in-a-million achievement and a life-changing experience. If nothing else, going to Rio will give me good experience. I should still be on the circuit for the next Olympics in Tokyo in four years so I will have another chance."
Cutts sprained his ankle during a disappointing European Championship in Amsterdam at the start of this month. The ligament injury prevented him from reaching the final then meant he had to have two weeks off training, missing the Anniversary Games at the Olympic Stadium in London.
He said: "It could have been a lot worse. The doctors have told me I was lucky because I could have snapped the ligament. I was worried when it first happened that I might be out of Rio. But I am fully fit now."
Cutts' Barnsley-based coach Trevor Fox believes the injury may have come at a good time. He said: "At first we were worried he might be struggling to compete in Rio because we didn't know how bad the injury was.
"But it was only a little one and it might actually be a blessing in disguise because he's refreshed now and he's had the chance to work on other parts of his body. He's back to full fitness and I think he's ready to surprise a lot of people out there. His spirits are high and he's going into it all guns blazing.
"It's realistic that Luke could finish on the podium. He always raises his game when he's fully fit and taking on world class jumpers. "As long as he keeps his spirits high, he will have a really good chance of a medal."
