With the Olympic opening ceremony exactly a year away today, GRAHAM MOODY catch up on the progress of five potential Olympians from Sutton.

MATT HOLLAND

Water Polo

Most potential Olympians would have been getting goosebumps as the countdown to the Olympics entered the final year yesterday, but not Matt Holland.

The Carshalton resident is a goalkeeper for Great Britain's water polo team, who will be competing in their first Games for 56 years having been given an automatic place as a home nation.

That would have more emotional figures shivering with excitement, but not 22-year-old Holland.

"I am not really thinking about the Olympics yet," he said quite nonchalantly.

"I am just trying to get my fitness up for the new season and get my work done to then take me through to the Games."

GB won their final European Championship qualifier against Georgia 8-7 earlier this month, but it was not enough to take them through to the finals in January.

The team have been entered into the World League though, which starts in November and will see them take on the best teams in Europe.

"It is a strong competition and the first time we have entered it," said Holland, who didn't play in the win against Georgia.

"It will be three games at home and three away and it will help us get used to playing the strong teams as we get nearer to the Olympics."

Holland, who has decided not to return to PSV Eindhoven for the new season and is instead talking to clubs in Spain, was named sportsperson of the year at the Sutton Celebrating Sports Awards two weeks ago.

The club he first played water polo with, Sutton and Cheam Swimming Club, were also honoured as club of the year.

"It was good to win," said Holland.

"There was a lot of strong candidates and I didn't really realise that, there's a few people that have got potential to get to the Olympics.

"I haven't been back to the club for a while as I have been away but it is good to see how well it is doing.

"They got me into water polo to start with and we had a lot of success in my age group.

"There is a lot of good people there."

ANDY TURNER

Athletics, 110m hurdles

Sutton resident Turner won a lot of admirers last year when he became European and Commonwealth champion and his form has carried into 2011. He set a personal best of 13.22 seconds in Lausanne last month and is by far Britain's best hurdler, so, barring injury, should claim a place in the Olympic team. His problem will be competing with the world's best though as his PB only gets him ninth in the world rankings this year.

HARRY AIKINES-ARYEETEY

Athletics, 100m

After much promise, Sutton & District runner Aikines-Aryeetey appears to finally be fulfilling his potential. Third in the UK 100m rankings with 10.13 seconds this year and first in the 200m rankings after a personal best 20.46 seconds he has impressed and will be confident of claiming a place in the GB team at the World Championships when the UK trials take place in Birmingham this weekend.

CHARLIE EDWARDS

Boxing, light flyweight

The Beddington bruiser has been flying in 2011. Now in the senior ranks, the 18-year-old won the national ABA light-flyweight championships and has seen himself fast-tracked into the GB Podium squad, training with the country's best amateur boxers. His bronze medal at the recent European Amateur Championship was impressive and has the rest of the boxing world beginning to sit up and take notice.

DAVID WEIR

Athletics, track

The 32-year-old already has six Paralympic medals and will be confident of adding to that haul in London. After an indifferent 2010, he roared back to form at the World Championships in New Zealand in January, wining gold in the 880, 1500m and 5000m and then stormed to victory in the London Marathon. There's is no doubt he will be in the team and aiming to defend the 800m and 1500m golds he won in Beijing.