24 days to go Ieva Kublina didn't linger in Richmond. She arrived in 1999 and played only one season of high school basketball at Trinity Episcopal before departing for Virginia Tech.

But one season was enough to convince most observers that Kublina, a 6-4 post player with the instincts and shooting touch of a guard, was going to go far.

And she has. Or rather, she soon will. Kublina, a native of Riga, Latvia, will represent her nation in Beijing in the Summer Olympics, which begin Aug. 8. Never before has a women's basketball player from a metro Richmond high school participated in an Olympic basketball tournament.

Kublina, who plays professionally with the Moscow Dynamo, is attending a pre-Olympic training camp in Riga. She shared her thoughts with the Richmond Times-Dispatch via e-mail.

Q: What does this accomplishment mean to you? Where does it rank on your list of accomplishments?

A: "Being able to go to the Olympics is great not only for me but also for my country. We've made history. No [Latvian women's] team has done this before, and I feel very proud and excited to be a part of it. I can't really explain in words what it means. It is definitely a dream come true. I'm going to be so proud to represent Latvia in front of the entire world."

Q: You've probably watched the opening ceremonies and the Parade of Nations on television many times. How is it going to feel to actually take part?

A: "I think I cannot tell you right now how I am going to feel. I will have to wait. I'll let you know when I actually do it. Right now, it's still kind of hard to get used to the idea that we're really going to the Olympics."

Q: Think back to the fall of 1999 and your first few practice sessions at Trinity. Did you even imagine at that point that you might one day wear Latvia's uniform in the Olympics?

A: "When I came to Trinity, my main goal was to have a good season in high school so I could get a scholarship and continue to play at the college level. I definitely wasn't dreaming about the Olympics back then."

Q: To what extent did your year at Trinity help you become the player you are today?

A: "Trinity was kind of the beginning of everything. It was a huge challenge for me to leave my family and come to the USA. It had a major impact, both on basketball and on my life."

Q: And Virginia Tech?

A: "Playing for [coach Bonnie Henrickson] at Virginia Tech helped me grow tremendously, both as a player and as a person. I'm so very thankful to Bonnie and all of my Virginia Tech coaches for everything they did for me. I definitely wouldn't be where I am today if I hadn't had that experience."

Tech might say the same. Kublina blossomed into one of the most productive players in school history before graduating in 2004. She scored 1,647 points (third on Tech's all-time list), grabbed 845 rebounds (second all-time) and blocked 256 shots (first all-time). She helping the Hokies collect 88 victories and three NCAA tournament appearances.