The 24-year-old from Longtown will be bidding for gold in the ladies doubles with her regular badminton partner Heather Olver.
But in the early part of the year it didn’t look as though they were going to get as high in the world rankings as they needed to be to make the Olympic squad.
Lauren and Heather faced a demanding schedule which saw them travelling to 24 countries across five continents, and they competed in more than 30 events as they battled to win a qualification place in their discipline.
The 12 months was both emotionally and physically draining for the pair, as they weren’t certain they would be selected on qualification right until the end.
Lauren explained the process.
“All of the tournaments we played gave us ranking points. But only the best 10 results during the 12 months are counted and an average is taken. So it’s a slightly complicated system,” she said.
“Then the only way to take more than one pair from a country is for them to be both ranked in the top-eight, which is why it’s not just the top 16 pairs.
“I think we might have been ranked higher than that when qualifying finished. Then obviously the ranking points differ depending on the level of tournament which is why the strategy of picking tournaments is so crucial, and gave me a headache very often.
“It was the most demanding, physically and emotionally draining year of badminton I have ever experienced.
“There was a lot of pressure so when we made it the relief was huge. Although it’s taken a lot out of us both it has been totally worth it.”
After being named in the squad she said: “It’s everything we’ve ever aimed for. The Olympics is the absolute pinnacle of sport.
"I’ve grown up watching it and idolising people that are there and, to think I’m actually going to be part of something like that, is just amazing.”
For the first time since 2004 in Athens, Great Britain will be represented in all five badminton disciplines – men’s and ladies’ singles, men’s and ladies’ doubles and mixed doubles. That has meant a team of eight being selected for the trip to Rio.
Team GB has still to win a gold medal in badminton since the sport was included in the Olympics in 1992 but can boast a bronze (Sydney, 2000) and silver (Athens, 2004), both in the mixed doubles.
In many ways, qualifying for Rio was the main target set by Lauren and Heather so everything now is a bonus.
“We think that was a great achievement in itself, so we know we are going out there to play matches in which we will certainly be very much the underdogs.
“It means the pressure will all be on the opposition and we can go out and, hopefully, enjoy our game, playing freely and without fear. But you only enjoy playing when you are playing well – and we will be trying to win our games,” she says.
So, on the eve of the Olympics who has been the biggest influence on her career.
“I don’t think I can pick one person, to be honest. I didn’t know loads of badminton players when I started playing.
“Obviously, Olympic heroes like Sir Steve Redgrave inspired me. But I’d say my parents influenced me most. They showed me how enjoyable sport could be and raised me to always want to be the best I can be (so I’m super competitive!).
“They helped me every step of the way and there’s no way I’d have been able to live my dream without them behind me.
“My mum Nicola, her partner John, my little brother Luke (seven), dad Andrew and his partner Lynn are all coming out to support me. It’ll be great to have them there. They were there a lot during the Commonwealth games and it helps tremendously to have them close by.
“I’m so excited to be going to Rio as part of team GB. It’s a dream come true and stepping out in the British kit will be such a proud moment for me.
"Everyone that’s supported me, whether that be coaches, friends cheering me on or people that gave time to play against me have all played a huge part in me getting here, I hope I can do them proud.”
Last week Lauren was involved in a training camp in Birmingham where people came over from other European countries. They played in the Barclaycard Arena, so it was good for the team to practice in a drifty big hall.
“We only have one more week before we travel so we will be training hard until then. We compete in the second week of the Games so will have time to acclimatise and practice in the arena out in Rio. We fly out on Tuesday of next week (August 2)," said Lauren.
But it doesn’t end after Rio because Lauren has again signed-up to play in the relatively new National Badminton League.
Lauren graduated last year, with a degree from Leeds Beckett University in sports coaching but has been in Milton Keynes training at the national badminton centre for the last four years
The AJ Bell National Badminton League is in it’s infancy but Lauren has been involved in it’s first two years with Loughborough Sport, but has just announced a switch to Team Derby.
She captained Loughborough to a runners-up finish last season behind Birmingham Lions and was part of the Loughborough side beaten 3-2 by Team Derby in the final of the AJ Bell NBL’s debut season.
Now she expects to reach similar heights with Team Derby and is looking forward to the new challenge for the coming season which starts in November.
Speaking after confirming a one year deal with Team Derby, Lauren said “I’m really excited. Team Derby have shown what they can do in previous seasons and seeing the squad we have this year is going to make us hard to beat. I’m a competitive person and I want to win.”
With an 83 per cent win rate, the four time English national champion has been turning heads with some phenomenal performance over the past two NBL seasons.
All this, the Olympics and the National Badminton League, would have been far from Lauren’s thoughts when she first picked-up a badminton racket when she was seven.
Encouraged by her parents and members of the family who already played, they were all members of the Border Badminton Club and just seven years later, at the age of 14, Carlisle-born Lauren earned her first England call-up.
The rest, as they say is history, with Lauren now on the verge of living the dream – representing her country in the Olympics.
And if she was able to come back with a medal, there’s little doubt that Lauren would be in line for a hat-trick in the Cumbria Sports Personality of the Year awards after already completing the double.
OLYMPIC FACT FILE
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