Ameena, Kuwait's first sailor, knew that she was going to be a contender for the Olympics only a year after completing her masters in London.

Shah, who had kept in contact with Kuwait's Sailing Federation throughout her undergraduate years, received the good news when she completed her studies in August of last year.

Shah, who will be making her Games debut as a women's dinghie, said that the other athletes were saying: "hey, lets go. Let's see what we can do in these eight months."

Shah was born in Scotland, but she does not like haggis. She won an 'universality' place based on her performance in a "last chance" regatta in April.

The feeling hasn't yet sunk into my mind. It's not yet like a jolt of excitement, like 'oh, my god, the Olympics'. "I hope it will click in soon," said she.

Shah stated that he had been to five or six countries in the last two months, just for training and regattas. "We are trying to raise the level as fast as possible," he said.

Shah and her Lithuanian trainer have spent 74 hours in the boat since they heard she would be heading to Marseille.

The same issues

Shah has said that she received many messages of support, both from Kuwait's sailing federation and her family.

The more experienced ILCA 6 sailors were also welcoming to newbies.

It was easy to join... We all discuss the same topics. "We probably all have the same problems, so this is a great group to join," said she.

Shah is accustomed to much worse than the Mediterranean heat that some sailors have been experiencing.

Shah, who believes that diet is crucial for a successful campaign, says she enjoys the hotel's cheesecake.

What if you had to decide between Scottish and Kuwaiti food?

Shah is fond of the Kuwaiti classic chicken with vegetables and says that "you cannot go wrong" when it comes to desserts.

When visiting her mother in Dundee to visit relatives, Shah insists that a stop at a particular chip store is essential.

She says, "It's impossible to say no" to fish and chip. Reporting by Alexander Smith, Editing by Ken Ferris

(source: Reuters)