Morris qualified for the Olympics with her run at the London Marathon

Morris, the fastest British woman home in the 2004 London Marathon, is due to run in the Olympic race on 22 August.

When she starts the 26-mile showpiece race at 1600 BST, her family and friends back in north Wales will be among millions worldwide watching her.

Her sisters Sarah Hodgson and Debbie Crouch are organising parties on the day to celebrate Morris' journey from Cybi Striders club runner in Anglesey to unlikely Olympic hopeful.

I am absolutely delighted for her, she's a Holyhead girl - lovely and vivacious Glyn Williams, runner

Sarah Hodgson, 28, said: "I am just amazed, to be honest.

"She has always been a good runner. There is obviously massive support for her - whatever she does we are really proud of her."

Morris, 36, grew up in Holyhead and spent the first 22 years of life on the island before leaving to study as an optician and settling in Leeds.

She went to Holyhead Secondary School and became captain of the Welsh girls' squad while at school.

Olympic journey

She also ran for local club Cybi Striders on Anglesey.

But it was not until recent years that Morris returned to running seriously and her journey to the Olympic Games began.

In November 2003, she entered a 10km race in Flint and won the event.

She had taken part in the London Marathon in 1998 as a fun runner, but in April this year she knocked an hour off her previous time, finishing three minutes inside the Olympic qualifying time as the top British woman runner.

Morris has recovered from a recent back injury and will line up alongside gold medal favourite Paula Radcliffe in the British team for Athens.

"Tracey is a big star, she was a fun runner and then all of a sudden she's an Olympic runner," said Sarah Hodgson, who has been inspired to take up running by her sister.

The last time Ms Hodgson saw her sister, she was preparing to leave for the Olympics.

"I saw all of her kit, even on her holdall it says 'Great Britain Tracey Morris', it's absolutely mad," added Ms Hodgson.

"She still has got a lot of friends back home in Anglesey, it's a small place."

Morris' mother, Pamela Hodgson, who lives in Anglesey, said: "Everywhere we go, there is support for Tracey.

"My husband works in Anglesey Aluminium and they ask him every day what she is doing."

Island route

Mrs Hodgson said when her daughter comes home, she runs the same route around the island every day - apart from on Christmas Day.

She said although her daughter will not have the Welsh flag with her in Athens, she is planning to put red dragon stickers on her drink bottles.

She added: "Tracey rang me last night, she is quite nervous,.

"She didn't have any pressure on her for the London marathon but there is a lot on her now."

Mrs Hodgson said she knows of three Olympic parties being organised by her daughter's supporters to coincide with the race in Athens.

At the optician where Morris used to work - Alton Murphy, in Holyhead - manageress Carmen Lewis said: "We worked together, it is fantastic and amazing to get as far as Tracey has.

"She has done really well, it's brilliant."

Former Cybi Striders club-mate, Glyn Williams, added: "I am absolutely delighted for her, she's a Holyhead girl - lovely and vivacious," he said.