A young Maltese doctor is excited about being one of a handful of specialised clinicians on the London Olympic Games medical team.

Earlier this year, Danica Bonello Spiteri was selected by the London 2012 organisers and will be working directly with the athletes.

“I look forward to the experience – it was quite tough to be chosen for the team,” said the 31-year-old. She is currently based in Leeds, working as a specialist registrar in sports and exercise medicine.

Dr Bonello Spiteri will be based at the ExCel Arena in London, where boxing, fencing, judo, table-tennis and taekwondo events will be held. She will be working eight-hour shifts on a voluntary basis for a fortnight.

For the past few months she has been going London for meetings and trainings with the rest of the medical team.

“We had training sessions on how to use the equipment and on the routine and emergency procedures that we have to follow,” she said.

In case of minimal injuries during the games, paramedics will be the first on the scene.

“But because ExCel arena is so large, they will keep in contact with the medical team by radio,” she said.

If more serious medical intervention is required, then the medical team will step in.

The games begin on July 27 and run for 17 days until August 12. An avid sportswoman herself – she has been the reigning Maltese triathlon champion for the past 10 years – Dr Bonello Spiteri is hopeful that she will get a glimpse of the events.

“I did not have the chance to purchase any tickets, but I hope I will get the chance to peek at some of the games after I finish my shift,” she said, adding she will definitely be rooting for the Maltese athletes.