She watched Caroline Buchanan's Olympic campaign from a hospital bed.
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But come 2016, Harriet Burbidge-Smith wants to ''make her own dent'' in the sport on her way to Rio de Janeiro.
The 16-year-old is continuing her development during the Canberra legs of the national series and the ACT titles, which kicked off on Friday and finishes on Saturday.
Burbidge-Smith has worked closely with fellow Canberra product Buchanan, who dominated the time trials at last year's London Games before finishing fifth in the final.
Buchanan is taking a break from the sport to concentrate on mountain biking before returning for a second tilt in three years.
That's when Burbidge-Smith is aiming to make her own mark in the sport she has lived and breathed for the past 12 years.
''2016 is definitely my goal right now and it's very realistic for me,'' Burbidge-Smith said.
''I realise it's a long way away and I've got to put in a lot of work before I get to that point.
''I definitely would like to, not necessarily follow what she (Buchanan) is doing, but get to that standard and make my own dent in the sport.''
Burbidge-Smith is the world No.2 in the junior elite division and is aiming to gain selection for this year's world championships in New Zealand in July.
The year 11 Dickson College student has attended three national high-performance camps in recent months and has recovered from an injury-disrupted season.
Burbidge-Smith was sidelined for two months when she broke an arm while training on the track of Beijing Olympian Luke Madill in Sydney in July.
She fell short of a jump, landing on the top of her handlebars and snapping the top half of her arm up to her elbow.
''I was telling myself that in four year's time when I'm racing there (at the Olympics), that the last time you were sitting in a hospital,'' Burbidge-Smith said.
''It was the most painful injury I've had.
''I've broken my collarbone twice before, but this was probably the worst.''
Despite her injuries, Burbidge-Smith remains dedicated to achieving her goal.
''This is my 13th year and I never really lose focus,'' she said.
''I can't help but be focused on it and to make the Olympics is the pinnacle.
''Getting to the top end of the sport is where I want to be.''
Racing at the Tuggeranong BMX track gets under way from 10.30am.