In gym class at Vancouver's Britannia High School, 18-year-old Patricia Moreno is a regular student -- an active teen who loves sports and staying fit.
"If I miss a day at the gym I'm really cranky," said Moreno.
But Patricia's high school athletics are about to take a back seat to the biggest sporting event in the world.
Moreno is about to step onto the streets and into Olympic history as one of thousands of Canadians who will take part in the torch relay for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
"Oh my gosh this is huge, this is something so many people want to do," she said.
While she won't necessarily be the first to hoist the torch when the relay for the Vancouver Olympics begins later this year, the teen is the first person named for one of the coveted spots on the route.
Related: You could be a 2010 Olympic torch bearer
Moreno will be one of 12,000 torch bearers taking part in the longest domestic journey ever for the Olympic flame, spanning some 45,000 kilometres over 106 days. Each is slated to carry the torch about 400 metres.
"Every time I hold this I feel like there are people surrounding me and I feel awkward but excited."
It's her healthy outlook and love of sport that may have landed her the job. She signed up for Sogo Active, a national community-based active living program for youth 13 to 19 organized by Coke and ParticipAction.
"I get to show people that being healthy is a good thing,"
But for a high school student who's just been thrust into the spotlight, all this attention can be overwhelming.
"I used to be shy," she said.
But all the inconvenience will be worth the effort to join an elite group of Canadians for a brief run in the spotlight in Olympic history.
The design of the torch for the relay, created by Bombardier, was unveiled Feb. 12.
The torch relay will kick off on Oct. 30 in Victoria.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Brent Gilbert and files from The Canadian Press
