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Beijing 2008 - Team GB: Triathlon 

( EUROSPORT )

It’s Most 18-year-olds are solely concentrating on their A-levels at this point of the year; instead Hollie Avil is juggling her studies with preparing to make her Olympic debut.

Only recently eligible to compete in World Cup races, the youngster has taken the triathlon scene by storm placing second, third and fourth respectively in events staged in South Korea, Japan and Spain.

This made an impression on the BOA, who opted to select Avil for the games in Beijing alongside Helen Foster, who finished second in Madrid.

Her pedigree going into her first elite season holds up to scrutiny. She had already won the World and Junior World Championships.

Even earlier in the life of this precocious talent, she had displayed excellence in swimming. First making the 2003 National Championships at 200m Breaststroke and 100m Freestyle, then deciding to adapt to longer distances and even try her hand at the Medley.

She also possesses a solid running background in cross-country and middle distance on the track. For example, just last year she was ranked 27th in Europe for the Junior Women's 3000m.

The advantage her competitors have against her is more experience in cycling - as you would expect for a newcomer.

Avil has already reached a certain level of public consciousness with a nomination for the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year and second place in The Sunday Times Young Sportswoman of the Year award behind the cyclist Shanaze Reade.

So with exams in PE, Philosophy and English on the horizon, hopefully there will be more than one reason to celebrate for the teenager come August.

Team GB will consist of Avil, Helen Tucker and three male triathletes: Alistair Brownlee, Tim Don and William Clarke.