Maidstone hockey star Natalie Seymour and her Great Britain team-mates are turning their hands to a spot of alchemy in a bid to turn bronze into Olympic gold – and the defender believes she has discovered the formula.

The 24-year-old Canterbury player, pictured, is in her first full season on the international circuit and was part of the England team that collected three bronze medals last year at the World Cup, the Champions Trophy and the Commonwealth Games.

That represented success for coach Danny Kerry’s side – but a place in the gold medal showdown was denied either by goal difference, penalty strokes or last-ditch Australian defending.

With March 15 marking the 500 days-to-go milestone earlier this week, Seymour and the squad know that while their rivals will be scrapping for their places at London 2012, Great Britain’s is assured as the host nation.

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And the former Maidstone Grammar School pupil, who started her career with Maidstone, thinks fitness could prove pivotal.

She said: "Last year showed that our hard work is paying off with results on the pitch and, if we keep it up, then there is no reason why we can’t improve further.

"We have a clear aim to be the fittest team in the world. We showed glimpses of that last year and that is down to the strength and condition programme we have got."

Join fellow Europeans at the London 2012 ‘one year to go’ celebrations at St Pancras International courtesy of Eurostar. View competition details at www.eurostar.com/london2012.Eurostar is the official international rail services provider to the Games and also the British, French and Belgian Olympic teams.