The countdown is on as the starting whistle of the Rio Olympics edges closer. With the opening ceremony just days away, we have been catching up with some of the sporting heroes who have trained and lived in our town from the last games in London. Throughout the week we will be posting interviews with the sporting stars who were making the headlines four years ago.

HAZEL Musgrove battled intense competition and two medical conditions to become part of Team GB’s first ever women’s water polo team at the 2012 London Olympics.

The 27-year-old said that competing at the event was the most exciting experience of her life.

Hazel, who is from Appleton, started out at Warrington Swimming and Water Polo Club when she was just 12 years old.

She said: “I have always enjoyed playing team sports. My dad and brothers played, and my dad actually coached the Warrington team at the time.”

But the road to London 2012 was not always clear as Hazel battled two medical conditions that threatened to cut her career short.

She proved her dedication to the sport by overcoming a blood disorder and rheumatoid arthritis to compete at the highest level.

Hazel said: “Competing was the most exciting experience of my life, the crowd’s support was incredible.”

But watching this year’s Olympics in Rio will be a bittersweet experience because funding for the sport was slashed in 2013, meaning that water polo players did not have the opportunity to enter a national team.

Hazel said: “I am looking forward to watching it now, but initially I thought I would struggle to, knowing we did not have the opportunity to enter a national team.”

Hazel’s love of water polo has not disappeared and she still helps support the self funded junior team with their training and management.

She said: “I also play for Liverpool Water Polo in National League and help coach younger Liverpool and Warrington players when I can.”

Water polo is popular in many eastern European countries and Hazel played professionally in both Hungary and Greece for a season each.

But she said the sport faces challenges in the UK: “I would say it has grown in popularity since the Olympics, particularly through schools competition.

“The difficulty is not having a senior team to progress on to. A number of players are playing abroad in Australia, Spain, Italy in order to develop as players and compete, which would not have been possible before the Olympics.

“But once they leave the junior age group they will have no national team to represent, which is a real shame considering the improvements we made to compete with other countries up towards the Olympics.”

The former Bridgwater High School student now helps inspire other youngsters to get active through her job at Manchester charity, GreaterSport.

She said: “I have been very lucky to have the opportunities I have had through sport, which is why I choose to go into my role of increasing sports participation across Greater Manchester at GreaterSport, as I truly believe in the positive impact sport can have on people’s lives at whatever level they choose to take part.”