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TOLEDO -- Friday morning, May 4th, Toledo junior, Natalia Gaitan, will board a flight bound for Bogota, Colombia and she won't return until the end of summer.

Gaitan, a defender for the Rockets women's soccer team, is competing for the Colombian national team in the London Olympics in August.

"I can't wait to go home. I'll be at home one day and then I have to be with the team on Sunday to start getting ready for the Olympics," Gaitan said.

Last year, Colombia made their first ever appearance in the World Cup. Gaitan was co-captain of the team.

"My big goal was to be in the World Cup and that happened last year...but then the Olympics is...even bigger. So, it's like, 'oh my gosh!' [I] can't believe this."

"It's bigger than University of Toledo soccer...to see someone so excited over the past three years and experiences that she gets, we're excited for her and her teammates are excited for her and we're excited about watching this summer and seeing what happens," said Toledo women's soccer head coach Brad Evans.

Gaitan said the dream is to medal, but a more realistic goal is to make it to the second round. The trip to London will also be the first time she's visited the city.

"My uncle went a couple of weeks ago and he told me that everything is ready for the Olympics, so...[I] can't wait."