The last athlete to book a spot on the Australian team for the world championships will be among the first to compete in Tokyo.
But multi-talented teenager Delta Amidzovski has no intention of just making up the numbers.
The Wollongong athlete first shot to prominence in track and field circles when she broke the great Sally Pearson's under-18 Australian 100m hurdles record in 2023.
Amidzovski still has high expectations for what she can achieve in the sprint hurdles down the track, but for now the primary focus is the long jump.
A stacked Australian squad including superstars on the rise like sprint sensations Gout Gout and Torrie Lewis, and middle-distance trio Cameron Myers, Peyton Craig and Claudia Hollingsworth, returned home from the 2024 world junior championship in Peru with 14 medals.
But Amidzovski was the only Australian individual gold medallist, saluting in the long jump with a personal best of 6.58m.
She has got within one centimetre of that mark in a consistent 2025 campaign with the promise of much better to come.
"It's been the greatest long jump season I've had in terms of consistency," she told AAP.
"I know something special is waiting to happen, hopefully at the world championships."
Amidzovski had been on the cusp of selection for the world titles all season.
A couple of days before the Australian squad was finalised it looked like she had just missed out, only to get a late reprieve when another jumper declined to take up her spot.
"It's been a little bit surreal, only finding out at the last minute," said Amidzovski.
"More of a case of 'oh wow, I am going', rather than being prepared and having it in the back of my mind for a while.
"Definitely more thrilling this way."
If she can add a few centimetres to her personal best in Saturday's qualifying round, Amidzovski is a realistic shot of snaring a berth in Sunday's final.
Amidzovski and fellow long jumper Samantha Dale are among 22 Australians in action on day one of the world championships.
She will have a big support group in Tokyo headed by coach and mother Becky Amidzovski, along with her father, sister and partner.
Becky Amidzovski was a national-level swimmer back in the day, but was unsuccessful in getting Delta to follow that path.
"I didn't enjoy it; just hated the cold water," she said.
"Whereas I just love athletics.
"At some stages we kind of coach each other.
"What I learn or pick up along the way I'll let her know and vice versa.
"It's definitely more of a partnership as a coaching relationship."
