FOUR-time Olympian Karen Pickering is so desperate to be a part of the 2012 Olympic Games today she pledged to serve food or act as a driver to ensure she does not miss out.

FOUR-time Olympian Karen Pickering is so desperate to be a part of the 2012 Olympic Games today she pledged to serve food or act as a driver to ensure she does not miss out.

And the champion swimmer, who is Ipswich's ambassador for sport, urged everyone to play their part to ensure the London Games are the best ever.

She said: "It's going to be incredible. Just be part of it in whatever way you can.

"It's going to be amazing to see in any capacity and to be able to say 'I was part of the 2012 Olympics'.

"I won't be competing but I will be there serving food, driving cars, whatever it takes just to be there."

Karen was an ambassador for the London 2012 bid and she watched the final hours of the bidding process with great anticipation, and a sense that London stood a great chance of victory.

She said: "It was so nerve wracking.

"I knew the momentum was building for London. I knew we were finishing strong.

"I watched London's presentation and I just thought London was going to win."

And after the IOC's announcement from Singapore that London had been voted the host city began to sink in, Karen, an accomplished international swimmer with 35 major championship medals under her belt, said she was still "buzzing".

She said: "What an exciting seven years it's going to be."