Tuesday 27th July marks the two years to go milestone as the country heads towards London 2012. Every day this week British Judo will be looking at five views from five different people within the sport. Today is British judoka Gemma Howell:

Gemma Howell with her gold medal at the 2010 British Open

© Mike Varey

I have never experienced anything like an Olympic Games before, but I don’t think anything could come close to achieving your dream in front of the country you are fighting for. I started a countdown from 1000 days in my diary and the time is flying by. I can’t wait for the Games to come around because I think it will send a buzz through the whole country that will make everyone feel like they want to be involved.

I think the atmosphere in London will be electric in the build up to the Games, so it’s great that all British people will be able to experience it. Having a home crowd will be a really good advantage to all the British players competing because I think it can help you find an extra bit of energy that you didn’t think you had. A home crowd also brings with it a lot of added pressure, which is something that an athlete has to learn to cope with.

I love that the BJPI is near Dartford because I love the feeling that I live near where everything will be happening in the lead up to the Games. I think it will also make London an even more exciting place to visit after the Games, because it will hopefully have lots of special memories for anyone who watches it.

My biggest dream at the moment is to get selected for and win the 2012 Olympics, but I have never had a senior European or World medal (or even competed at one!) so I will be working hard to change this before the Games comes around. If I get selected for the Games one of the bits I would look forward to the most would be getting all the new addidas kit and clothes!

To be part of the 2012 British Judo team I think people will have to consistently pick up results so they will be more reliable to perform when they compete at the Games. Even though one British player can compete in each weight category because we are the host country, I think it is still really important to do the circuit of competitions and get results so that you are well ranked because of the new IJF repecharge system.

When I was younger I always said I wanted to go to the Olympics, but had no idea of all the work that goes into to getting there. It has been something that I’ve wanted to do for as long as I can remember, but now it feels like it is almost within reaching distance, it makes me miss the days when I was back training at Wolverhampton and still had all the time in the world.

My family followed me when I relocated to Dartford and have always been a massive support. My sister has spent many hours doing my hair for training and competitions and everyone that knows me will understand why I couldn’t have coped with out her. Some people might think I have my priorities wrong, but getting my hair done has always been at the top of my list! It would mean a lot to me and my family if I got selected to compete because it would make all of their time and effort following me around the world worthwhile.

Obviously when I first found out about my knee injury I was devastated because I couldn’t imagine not being able to do judo. It meant I missed out on my last Junior Worlds and Europeans, which was what I’d been training for all year. However, I think everything happens for a reason and my injury came at the right time for me. I was told to see it as an opportunity, because it gave me chance to improve my gripping strategies and it made me realise that although juniors meant everything at the time, it is all just part of the path towards the Olympics. The new rule of no leg grabs was introduced during my time off, so it gave me chance to adjust my fighting style as leg grabs played a big part of my judo. When I was told I could fight again, I felt like I’d won the lottery!

Thinking about the Games sort of scares me because it feels like they are coming round so fast and we will never get the opportunity to compete in an Olympics on home soil again. Everything we (GB Judo Squad) do at the moment is meant to get us closer to achieving our dreams. When my bag didn’t turn up at the airport recently, which meant I had to compete without my Judo kits, lucky knickers etc, I had to remind myself that it is all part of preparing me for anything that could happen at the Olympics. Hopefully, if I get selected to compete in the next Olympics in London, I will be as prepared as I will ever be in my life.