Bianca Walkden is backing British taekwondo team-mate Sarah Stevenson to be fit in time for the Olympics.
Harvey remains hopeful over selection for London Games
Bianca Walkden hopes Sarah Stevenson is fit in time to take part in the London Olympics - even if it is at her own expense.
Stevenson - who is currently taekwondo world champion and was a bronze medallist in the 2008 Beijing Olympics - last week underwent surgery to repair cruciate ligament damage sustained at a recent training camp in Mexico.
The 28-year-old has until the end of May, when the Great Britain selectors will nominate their squad for the London Games, to prove her fitness.
If she does not make it in time then Wallkden is set to come down from her regular +73kg weight division and compete in the +67kg category instead.
The Liverpudlian admits she had mixed emotions about the situation at the moment, though she knows just what her fellow Brit is going through having endured a similar knee problem of her own last year.
"If Sarah doesn't go, then I'll have the spot, but I know exactly what it's like to do your ACL and trying to get back in time for a competition. It is the hardest thing for an athlete to do," she said.
"But at the same time, if I've got a chance to go... I'm just going to try to do my best, train as hard as I can and be fit for that spot."
Overcoming adversity
Stevenson won the world title last year despite both her parents battling serious illness, and has spoken of her determination to overcome her injury setback in time to compete in the Games on home soil.
"We are just trying to support her to try to help her get through everything," Walkden added.
"Sarah has been through so much with everything that happened with her mum and dad.
"It is amazing what she has overcome. An ACL operation is really major, but she can do it - we are all wishing her the best of luck."
Walkden will compete in the European Championships in Manchester in May, the final competition before Olympic selection.
The event will give the chance for Michael Harvey, who along with Martin Stamper, Tony Grisman and Jordan Gayle is hoping to be chosen for the -68kg category, to appear in front of his home crowd.
Stamper - recently named GB Taekwondo's Olympic Athlete of the Year after winning gold at the US, German and British Opens - may be the current favourite to be selected, but Harvey is not giving up hope.
"You have to say, Martin Stamper has had a really good year and is doing really well at the moment, but I think all four of us are in contention - it can go any way," the 22-year-old said.
"Everyone just has to kick on for the last few competitions and whoever comes out on top after these last few, then fair play to them, be it me or one of the others. It is really competitive and whoever makes it will deserve it.
"We don't really talk about selection - everybody knows that we're all aiming for the same thing and that we are all going to put 100% in to try to get that spot, but we're all friends about it.
"It's a really good situation to be honest, because we're all just constantly pushing each other on."
