New Zealand's world championship 800m runner Angie Smit is hoping "a dream" opportunity to make her Diamond League debut in London on Saturday morning will give her the chance to smash the two-minute barrier for the first time in her career.
The 21-year-old Rangiora athlete was presented a late call-up to compete in the prestigious two-day event, which will be staged to a sell out crowd of 68,000 inside the Olympic Stadium.
Smit, who set a personal best of 2:00.03 when finishing fourth at the World University Games in Kazan earlier this month to secure her ticket for next month's world championships, hoped to make the make the most of the chance.
"I am so happy to have been selected to race in London," Smit said. "I was literally jumping up and down when I found out I was in. I am very excited to be competing at the Olympic Stadium. The 2012 Games were incredible and to think David Rudisha ran the men's world 800m record on the same track last year is very exciting."
Angie, who just missed out on qualifying for the London Olympics, is currently in the best form of her life after recovering from a bout of glandular fever at the start of the year.
The University of Canterbury education and psychology student has now been presented a perfect opportunity to reinforce that view as she lines up against a top-class field, which includes US championship runner-up Brenda Martinez and a host of other international performers.
"My aim is to run my absolute best, to get top five, to run under two minutes and enjoy the experience," she added. "The field is of real quality, so it will be super special running for New Zealand in the biggest Diamond League meeting of the year."
Should Angie achieve her goal of running a sub 2:00 time, she will become only the third New Zealand woman to achieve the feat behind Nikki Hamblin and Toni Hodgkinson (the current national record holder with 1:58.25).
So is Hodgkinson's mark, which was set at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics Games, a realistic target for Smit?
"Toni's is an incredible record," she said. "Even when you compare it with other countries it is a very fast time. It is faster than the Australian record (for the women's 800m). It is a big ask to break the record this year, but it is definitely an aim. If I have an amazing race, I could do it. I don't like to put limits on myself."
Double Olympic champion Valerie Adams is in action in the women's shot on the second day of the London Diamond League meeting on Sunday.
It will be the Kiwi's final competition before the world championships, which take place in Moscow from August 10-18.
New Zealand will send a 10-strong team to the World Championships.
