Majlinda Kelmendi is a 20-year-old judo fighter from Kosovo. She is a former junior world and European champion.
Majlinda trains twice a day at a judo club in her hometown of Peje, a Kosovan town set in the mountains close to the border with Montenegro.
Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in February 2008, an act rejected by Belgrade.
Kosovo has not been recognised by enough countries to gain membership of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
If Kosovo does not become a member of the IOC in time for the London Olympics, Majlinda may compete for another country or even as an independent athlete for the IOC.
Her coach, Driton Kuka, was an aspiring Olympian himself but when the Balkan conflict erupted, he retired to fight for the Kosovo Liberation Army.
Majlinda and Driton were offered the chance to compete for Azerbaijan until the Kosovan government agreed to sponsor them.
Majlinda is good enough to qualify for the 2012 Olympics - she is currently ranked 16th in the world.
But her Olympic dreams now rest on the ability of her nation's governors and the Kosovan Olympic Committee to persuade the IOC to recognise the nation.
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