Emma Martin, a netball loving 17 year old from Chelmsford, was shocked and stunned when she was told that she would be carrying the Olympic flame, but she was even more surprised by who told her the news.
Emma is one of 8,000 torch bearers but the only one who was given the amazing news by boy band the Wanted.
Emma is currently a sixth form student at Boswells School and will carry the Olympic torch on the 6th July for one leg of its 70 day journey across the UK.
The Wanted were part of the judging panel for the Coca-Cola Future Flames campaign and surprised Emma on Carnaby Street when she thought she was just enjoying a shopping trip with her mum.
She said: “It was just surreal.
“I still can’t believe it happened to me – it was like all my dreams into one.
“I’ll find out more next year, but I’ll be carrying the torch between Colchester and Chelmsford – I’m looking forward to it.”
Emma’s dad nominated his daughter because of her passion for netball; she plays in the Chelmsford and District Netball League for Scorpions Black and she is already a level one coach at Brookshaw Stuart Netball Club
She spends most of her spare time playing and training.
“I’m really passionate about netball,” she added. “I love giving something back to people.”