Weightlifting wasn't quite the sport Kyle Bruce had in mind when he grew up dreaming of the Olympics, instead wanting to play for the Wallabies.
But the dream changed when his rugby-loving father died in 2015, and weightlifting became a necessary fresh start for the 24-year-old.
Years of self-funded training and working two nights a week at a pizza joint during school paid off in the end for Bruce, who is gearing up for the Paris Games.
"I'm grateful to be here, to make the Olympics. It's any Australian kid's dream," he told AAP.
A piece of his father remains close to him nevertheless, donning his dad's compression shirt at every competition - and Paris won’t be the exception.
"He'd be proud, for sure. Growing up, sport was a massive thing in my family,” he said.
Bruce's mum Alison was in tears after he was named in the announcement on June 2.
"She cries all the time. I was very hesitant to bring her," he said, laughing.
The weightlifter thought he’d struck gold when he made his Commonwealth Games debut in Birmingham in 2022, but judges denied him the medal when a review showed his arms had not fully extended.
He has had two years to reflect on that one moment being taken away, which he reckons was a lesson in disguise.
"In hindsight, it was the best thing that could have happened to me. I had a bit of an ego going into (Birmingham), expecting a lot more,” Bruce said.
“I don't want that to happen again. We're going to go in there with execution, and do the best we can - make sure those little things are crisp.”
The competition this year is fierce and filled with hungry eyes, with 60 men and women competing in each of the 10 weight classes - all scrambling for gold.
Bruce, in the men's 89kg class, is just one of three 24-year-old weightlifters representing the nation at the Paris Games.
He's joined by Eileen Cikamatana in the women’s 81kg division, and Jacqui Nichele in the women’s 71kg.
Australia has had no Olympic medals in the sport since 1996, but Bruce is prepared to raise the bar.
"Obviously Eileen is the big medal contender ... with her efforts and results," he said.
"But in saying that, don't count out Jacqui and myself ... anything can happen."
The weightlifting competitions are scheduled to run between August 7-11 at France’s largest exhibition centre, Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.
