The 20-year-old swimmer, whose family live near Arundel, will compete in both the 100m and 200m backstroke, just two years after missing most of a whole season with pancreatitis.

But after impressing at the National Championships in Sheffield in March, the Portsmouth Northsea ace intends to make waves in the Far East.

Spofforth refused to make any bold predictions ahead of her debut Olympic bow – instead reiterating her desire to just keep improving under the Beijing spotlight.

'I'm excited to go and have a lot of fun and just enjoy the experience,' said Spofforth.

'I would love to make the final in the 100m back but I can't make any wild predictions about what I can or can't do.

'I was extremely happy and relieved to just be selected; I couldn't tell you exactly how I felt because it is such a whirlwind of emotions.'

Spofforth, who is majoring in psychology at the University of Florida, might have been a surprise selection to some.

But after a great junior career, which saw her win gold at the European Junior Championships in 2003, Spofforth burst back on to the international scene after a couple of difficult years to break the British record and make the Olympic team.

GB swimming boss Michael Scott said: 'The holding camp has achieved all of our goals in terms of acclimatising, team building and in providing a professional and enjoyable environment.

'It's definitely achieved its aims of preparation to perform in Beijing.

'The first thing for Gemma now is to adjust to new surroundings in Beijing, the village and the pool while maintaining preparation and focus to achieve what we said from day one – to maximise performance improvements from the trials to the Games.

'The team and Gemma's goals have always been to move forward from the trials in March to the Games in August.'