Now 19, Bishop finds herself the youngest member of the 15-woman Opals squad that flew into Cairns yesterday for a five-day training camp.
A netballer in her younger days growing up in country South Australia, Bishop said she was surprised to still be in contention for the final cut of 12 who will head to the Beijing Olympics.
"I never thought for a second that I would make it this far," she said.
"I think this is more a development thing for me and getting me ready for the future.
"It’s been a great experience. The older girls do take you under their wing and I’ve learned heaps and a lot of different things about my game."
Bishop and the rest of her teammates will not have much time for sight-seeing while in the Far North with preparation for Beijing reaching its final stages.
After winning the 2006 World Championships and taking part in the last two gold medal play-offs, the Opals can expect plenty of attention from opposition teams and the public at the Olympics.
For Bishop, who plays for the Canberra Capitals in the WNBL, it’s a pleasure just to soak in the experience of an Olympic preparation given her rapid elevation through the basketball ranks.
"I’ve been through under-19 and under-21 level and this is completely different to anything I’ve been through," she said.
The Opals are scheduled to play a Green versus Gold game tomorrow at 6pm at the Bendigo Bank Basketball Centre after the Cairns Dolphins’ QABL match against Bundaberg.
By Andrew Piva for The Cairns Post.
