HANNAH Kelly admitted it wasn’t until she got her official Team GB kit that it really sunk in that she was on her way to Paris to compete in the Olympic Games.

The sprinter from Bury had an anxious wait to see if she had been included in the 4x400m relay squads - and when the news came, she had to pull her car over to cry tears of joy.

The 23-year-old, who is a member of Bolton United Harriers, has enjoyed a breakthrough year. She competed in the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow and was part of the team that set a new British record in the heats - a record bettered in the final that earned Kelly and her fellow squad members a bronze medal.

She also took part in the World Relay Championships in the Bahamas, helping the GB team secure a prized place in Paris.

But while the team place was safe, her’s wasn’t so when the call came, Kelly was overcome with emotion.

“I was in my car, I had to pull over because I started crying,” she told Radio Manchester. “I was in my car at my friend’s house so I just ran in and told them – they were actually the first people I told!

“It definitely didn’t feel real because it is a dream come true. It sunk in when we went to get kitted out, we went to get our kit, tried everything on and did some media things and that is when it started to feel a bit more real.”

The former Holy Cross College student, who is already in Paris in the Team GB holding camp, may get the chance to take part in tomorrow night’s opening ceremony with her events not starting until the first week of August.

While Kelly is unsure if she will compete in the women’s 4x400m or the mixed 4x400m, she is delighted to be part of the team.

“That is the best part of it, getting there and being part of the team,” she said.

“We are a close group, we have done quite a few relays this year. Did world relays indoors then world relays outdoors so we are quite a close team now.”

She added: “I am not sure yet which race I am going to be in, it will be one of them.

“There are seven of us on the team, we normally find out the day before or two days before just to make sure that everyone is ready just in case anyone needs to run.”

While this will be Kelly’s first Olympic experience, it will also be her first trip to Paris - something she is looking forward to.

“I have never been so I am looking forward to that,” she said. “We are in a holding camp for 10 days then we move over to the Athletes Village.

“You do have quite a lot of downtime between training so I will try and do some touristy things. My mum and my sister are coming out, maybe a few other people, so very excited for them to be there.”

Kelly has come along way since joining the Harriers as a youngster and she says she could not have done it without coach Les Hall.

“I started with a primary school competition, won my race and got asked to join the club and I have been running since then,” she said. “That’s when I met Les and I have been with him for 13 years. Ever since I started I knew that is what I wanted to do.

“(The club) has been huge, I have been there basically since I started. Les has been with me through the highs and lows. I couldn’t have done it without him.

“He knows how to handle my nerves and stuff now. He is just a good person to speak to before I race just to reassure me and know that I have done what I need to do and just go out there and smash it.”