Relatively few of the estimated 10,500 competitors at the forthcoming Paris Olympics will return home with medals, although surely all will leave the French capital with indelible memories of the fortnight’s events.

But one of the athletes in Jamaica’s near-70-strong party arrives already armed with unbounded pride and passion, despite never having lived permanently on the island.

Josh Kirlew, revealed as the male flag bearer during the opening ceremony, admits that one of his lifetime ambitions has been to represent the country of his mother’s, Yasmyn, birth. And through dedication to his sport and much endeavour in getting himself recognised by Aquatic Sports Association of Jamaica (ASAJ), the 24-year-old North Londoner will step poolside at La Défense Arena, in the west of Paris, for the 100m butterfly heats on Friday, August 2.

“We have constant reminders of Jamaica all over the house,” explains the Westminster University law graduate, who has put his studies on hold to pursue his sporting dreams.

“When I was eight years old I remember watching Michael Phelps obliterate the opposition at the Beijing Olympics, I always imaged representing Jamaica then.”

Yasmyn hails from the parish of Westmoreland in Jamaica and moved to the United Kingdom in 1990. Kirlew developed with a quiet enthusiasm that evidently spills over into the water, having first swum for Jamaica at the World Championships in Doha last February.

“I’ve been lucky enough to go to Jamaica and have never been happier than during that time,” he added while taking a break between eight training sessions a week, sometimes twice a day, at the local Southbury Leisure Centre near Enfield.

“I’ve been swimming since I was four and competitively from nine years old.”

Kirlew states that he was helped and inspired by Jamaica’s former World Aquatics Championship star Michael Gunning in gaining recognition from the nation’s swimming authorities.

“I’m happy to see my labours bear fruit as an Olympian and aiming to beat my PB [personal best of 54.24 achieved in Rome] and maybe, if I’m lucky, win my heat.”

He has no misconception about challenging the very top boys in his discipline or the world record, which stands at an astonishing 49.45, set in 2001 by Caeleb Dressel of the United States at the last Olympics in Tokyo, but he adds: “I’m more excited than nervous at the moment, and my Coach Gerry Gillespie keeps telling me just enjoy it and do what I always do — swim two lengths of the pool as fast as I can!

“I haven’t looked too much into the venue, as I want to be in awe and soak up the atmosphere.”

Kirlew was selected, alongside 20-year-old freestyle sprinter Sabrina Lyn — Jamaica’s other representative in the pool — through the universality clause in the qualification process.

This allows the highest-ranked swimmers from a country to compete, even without having made the qualifying standard.

“Jamaican blood runs through my veins and I am so thrilled to take part in the opening ceremony,” Josh enthuses as one of only four non-track and field Jamaican entries in Paris.

“I want to establish myself as a Caribbean athlete — a Jamaican swimmer who can hopefully inspire the next generation who are coming through.

“I would love there to be enough of us going to form a relay squad, as I love being part of that family dynamic.

“That’s the only sadness I have, but hopefully Sabrina and I can help encourage enough young Jamaican swimmers to make it possible in the future,” he said.