HOLLY Lam-Moores made history as part of Great Britain's first Olympic women's handball team at the 2012 London Olympics.

But in spite of her impressive sporting achievements on the court, she counts one of her proudest achievements as the legacy of handball in the wake of the Games.

"Being a part of the Olympics was overwhelming in a good way," said the 25-year-old athlete.

"I feel lucky and honoured to have been given that opportunity and most importantly to be able to showcase my sport – which is considered to be a minority sport – to the nation.

"Handball hides behind rugby, football and cricket, but now more and more people are playing because of the Olympics and I am grateful for that."

Holly discovered her love of handball at school before moving abroad at the age of 16 to play professionally.

As part of the Viborg HK team in Denmark, Holly was able to fulfil her dream of turning her favourite hobby into a career.

Years later she was selected to represent Great Britain in the Olympics, but in the months leading up to Games she suffered a series of setbacks due to an injury on her spine.

"I worked really hard with physios and managed to get through the Games," she said.

"Then I went back out to play handball in Denmark, but it got to about December and I was really suffering because training was so intense.

"I ended up overcompensating and wore down some cartilage in my left knee.

"I had knee surgery in February 2013 and after discussions with my family I decided I should move back home."

This is when reality kicked in as Holly had hoped to play the sport she loved for at least the next decade.

"I had been away from home since I was 16 playing handball abroad and I only had GCSEs," she said.

"I had to think about gaining some qualifications and a career as you can't play handball for ever.

"If I was able to manage my injuries well I would go back and get another contract.

"Real life took over so I ended up working and studying and I never got round to going back"

After moving back in with her dad in Lowton, Holly decided to volunteer for the Warrington Wolves Foundation, where she had been a patron in the months leading up to the Olympics.

"They gave me an opportunity which I would never have got anywhere else," said Holly, who now lives in Manchester and coaches the Great Britain and England under 16s teams.

"I really wanted to go to college so Neil Kelly, who is the managing director and one of my favourite people in the entire world, funded my personal training level three qualification at Warrington Collegiate.

"I would work throughout the day and then went to college at night."

It was during this time that Holly set up a women's handball team at the foundation.

She said: "I had no qualifications and I lost my identity. Handball was my life.

"It got taken away because of injury.

"I came home and I did not know what to do. I thought I was going to play for another 10 years so I had not even started to think about life after handball.

"Neil and the foundation helped me to figure it out.

"They have enabled me to have some handball legacy after London 2012."

After two years working at Warrington Wolves Foundation, Holly started work at Greater Sport.

She now hopes to continue to inspire others to pursue their sporting dreams.