With anticipation having built across the country as the long seven year wait for London 2012 drew to a close last week, some of Sussex’s fiercest and most talented competitors are chomping at the bit to now take the capital by storm this summer, with the hopes and wishes of a nation resting on their shoulders.

London has become the first city to have hosted the games three times, as the UK looks to round off the summer season’s gripping and contagious enthusiasm, with the Olympic games coming hot on the heels of the Queen’s jubilee celebrations and of course, the European Football Championships.

An estimated 10,500 athletes from 154 countries are scheduled to compete in London this year, with our corner of the UK expected to play a major part in ensuring that Team GB weighs in with a heavy dose of bronze, silver and gold once things wrap-up on 17th August.

Sussex is in line to contribute athletes to Team GB that will be gunning for medals in an open range of disciplines including sailing, judo and badminton.

We’re right in the thick of things at London 2012 now and already, Team GB has recorded its highest medal total for 104 years. While Bradley Wiggins, Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah have stolen headlines so far, could Sussex Canoe Sprinter Jess Walker be the next up on the podium?

Jess has already led Team GB in the women’s K4 500m canoe sprint final and despite finishing narrowly outside of the medal positions on that occasion, is now in good stead to tackle the field in her 200m individual canoeing event this Friday.

Walker has already racked up some Olympic experience following an outing at the Beijing games in 2008 and is heralded as one of Canoe Sprinting’s shining stars. She made her name by winning gold and silver medals in junior competition, before finishing with a bronze at the 2010 World Cup.

The 22 year-old star has set her sights high at London 2012 and has gone on record saying that she hopes to break the world-record time for 200m sprint on Friday. If she comes through on that pledge, GB will have another gold medal firmly in the bag.

Catch Jess in action at 10.00 on August 10th with BBC.