TAEKWONDO'S tenacious terrier Ryan Carneli is counting down the days until his Olympic dream becomes a reality.
Years of sacrifices, including a stringent dieting regime to ensure he stays under the 58-kilogram weight category for Olympic taekwondo's lightest division, has paid dividends for the Keilor Downs-raised fighter.
"It's a lot of relief to get the selection process over and concentrate on training for the Olympics, not just making the team,'' Carneli told the Advocate from his base at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.
"I'm just excited that my childhood dream is finally coming through, not only for me; my family, my coaches were all happy for me. It's fantastic.''
Brimbank residents will be screaming their lungs out for Carneli, who, at his first Olympics, is hell-bent on bringing home gold.
The 22-year-old flyweight is fit and ready to do Australia proud.
He claimed a silver medal at the 2006 World Cup, but wants to go one step further and sing Advance Australia Fair on the podium in Beijing.
Carneli is fully aware of the monumental task ahead.
On the path to the podium, it is likely he will have to face-off with Taiwan's Chu Mu Yen - the undisputed champion of recent years. It is a welcome test for the Taylors Lakes Secondary College graduate.
"He's won at previous Olympics; he's world champion maybe two times and he's been around for a while now,'' Carneli said.
"He's won pretty much all the big tournaments so he's one I'm looking to beat.
"If I'm facing [Taiwan] I'm not going to give them any respect. I will try and beat them like they will try and beat me. I'm there to win.''
Melbourne's north-west is undoubtedly the breeding ground of champions in taekwondo.
Carneli's only male teammate and long-time friend, Burak Hasan, hails from nearby Fawkner, while former Olympian Paul Lyons has opened up a gym in Niddrie.
It is Lyons who Carneli credits for his progress at such a young age.
"He took me under his wing and made me who I am now,'' Carneli said.
"Training with him gave me a very good foundation for fighting.''
AIS coach Daniel Trentham has added the polish to the taekwondo team since 2006 - but all the coaching in the world would have been useless without Carneli's willpower.
His ability to resist the temptations that most other people indulge in on a daily basis is what has turned him into an Olympian.
"My weight division is very light so I'm always dieting,'' he said.
"There's always a competition coming up [and weight to lose] ... so if going out for dinner with friends, I'm usually the one just having salad or can't eat because I'm dieting.''
Moving from the west to his base in Canberra a year ago was another hurdle.
Carneli moved away from family and friends in order to book a ticket to Beijing, "but it's definitely worth it to make the Olympic team''.
Time spent at the AIS has been crucial. The one-time Keilor Downs Primary School pupil has benefited more than most with the facilities and the expertise available in the nation's capital.
"I've got access to dieticians and nutritionists, who show me a better way to diet - a healthier way - and gain strength and conditioning. [You have] all the best services and to be around it 24/7 just helps so much.''
Carneli and the four-strong taekwondo team will jet out to their base on South Korea's Jeju Island, joining the rest of the Australian team for the opening ceremony in Beijing - a night Carneli expects to be unforgettable.
"It's something I don't want to miss out on,'' he said. "Being my first Olympics, I want to take it all in.''
The taekwondo competition will be one of the final events on the Beijing Games calendar.
Carneli knows what little piece of memorabilia he wants to bring back to Melbourne Airport - and it's gold.
"I am training to win - that's my number one goal.''
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