Nine weeks before the European Games, Emma Uren needed a miracle.
The 25-year-old damaged her calf and fingers during the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series stop in Hong Kong back in April, entering into a gruelling nine-week period of rest and recovery.
Forced to turn supporter as her teammates hopped around the world chasing Olympic qualification, Uren finally made her comeback to competition at the 2023 European Games in Poland.
And the return to the pitch was made that much sweeter by a glittering gold medal and Team GB quota spot for Paris 2024.
"For me, the European Games was a big one because I’ve been out injured for nine weeks, so it my first tournament back from injury," she said.
"I only came in for a little bit beforehand and I’d only had a few sessions.
"And now it's surreal. Having that medal around my neck almost doesn’t feel true.
"Seeing all my teammates training whilst I had to be in rehab trying to get back to full fitness and strength again was really hard.
"But these are my best mates and, yeah, it was hard not being on the field with them, but I had to focus on me, my processes, getting back.
"Mentally, injuries are very difficult, and it being close to a major Games is even harder.
"But I knew that I could come back and having those two weeks building into the Games made me realise it was possible."
Team GB clinched gold with an assertive 33-0 victory over hosts Poland at the European Games, Uren crossing the whitewash twice in the first half.
But there was more than medals on the line for the players.
Having been on the brink of Olympic qualification all season, an emotional victory in Krakow finally sealed the deal.
"We’ve worked so long for this," said Uren.
"From the beginning, we’ve always had Olympic qualification in mind, and we’ve had so many ups and downs trying to piece it all together, and now it’s finally done.
"You do just have a moment where you think ‘I just can’t believe this is happening’.
"This year is the first time we’ve come together as a GB squad, so there have been loads of teething situations and piecing how the program is going to look.
"We’ve had a few niggles here and there, we’ve had a few tournaments that have gone our way and a few that haven’t, but I think the last few months we’ve really pieced it all together and come together as a squad."
Uren was part of the Tokyo 2020 sevens team that finished a heartbreaking fourth place after losing out 21-12 to Fiji in the bronze medal match.
But with a chance at redemption next summer, Uren now has only one goal: to win an Olympic medal for Team GB.
"You get emotional thinking about it," she said.
"This is why we do it, for these major games.
"To be able to go out to Paris and go for my second Games would be absolutely amazing.
"Tokyo didn’t end the way we wanted it to, and mentally, it’s really hard coming away from something where you didn’t get the result you had planned for or you had strived for, and I think there’s a major part of me that wants to put that right.
"I know that we have so much more in the bank, and I think going out there with this group would be amazing.
"The experience would be one of the best experiences of my career and I’m just excited."
Sportsbeat 2023