by Jenni Horn

When Kat Driscoll was just six her parents took her along to a summer club so she could try a few different sports.

Little did they know that it would lead to her competing in the world’s biggest sporting event 20 years later.

The 26-year-old trampolining star, who grew up in Walderslade, is a medal hopeful for Team GB at this year’s Olympics.

She earned Britain’s sole place in the Games through a series of four qualification events this year.

The former Rochester Grammar School pupil learned to trampoline at Lordswood Leapers, based at Lordswood Leisure Centre in Chatham, before moving to Gillingham Jumpers.

Kat got her first taste for the sport at a summer camp, after going along with her two older brothers Robert and Thomas.

Dad Mike, 59, of Dargets Road, Walderslade, said: "The idea was that children could try out any of the different sports at the leisure centre. Kat really enjoyed the trampolining, she just took a shine to it."

After that, Kat joined the Lordswood Leapers and started training regularly.

It was soon obvious Kat had talent but it could have been a completely different sport she was competing in at the Games.

Mike explained: "She used to go swimming as well and she was a good swimmer. She moved to Gillingham Jumpers so she could go swimming at the Black Lion too but in the end she had to chose between them."

Mike added: "When your kids are good at a sport you try to encourage them as much as possible. But we never thought for a minute that it would lead to where it has.

"We were just happy she was doing an activity out of school and not hanging around the streets."

Kat, who now lives near Durham with husband Gary who she met while they were both competing in trampolining in their teens, gave up work two years ago to concentrate on her Olympic hopes full time.

ike said: "She decided to give it six to nine months to see what happened and she hasn’t looked back.

"To be successful you have to have talent. You can be as dedicated as you like but you have got to have both dedication and talent.

"Speaking as a father, I think Kat is one of those people that seems to have both."

Kat will be competing at the North Greenwich Arena, on Saturday, August 4, and after years of training, it will all come down to just two routines.

If she gets through to the finals she will have just one more routine to impress the judges.

Mike said: "I find it quite daunting. We were at a test event and the arena wasn’t even full and the noise was tremendous.

"My wife Pam will be a bag of nerves. She will sit in the arena with her face in her hands and won’t be able to watch."