The 21-year-old Calgary product is hobbled by a sprained left ankle, sustained during a vault dismount at a World Cup meet earlier this month in Germany.

Shewfelt believes the ankle should be fully healed in time for the Athens Olympics.

Even if the ankle isn't 100 per cent by August -- a possibility given the unpredictable nature of sprains -- Shewfelt insists a little discomfort won't stop him from competing.

"Not a chance," says Shewfelt, who also competed at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

"This is so important. We've been planning for this over the past 16 years with my training, so I'll find a way.

"I'm not concerned. I just need to be smart right now, take the time to let it rest and do all the physio. I've dealt with pain before and I'll ride it out if I have to."

At least the timing of the sprain is good.

He has a relatively light schedule until May, when he'll start training for the Canadian championships and first Olympic trials June 1-6 in Mississauga.

Shewfelt has been tumbling since he was six, when his mother got tired of him bouncing around the house and enrolled him in gymnastics.

Since then, Shewfelt -- who trains with coach Kelly Manjak at Calgary's Altadore Gym Club -- has joined the world gymnastics elite and has a bunch of World Cup hardware to show for it.

But more important than his six World Cup medals and two golds from the 2002 Commonwealth Games, Shewfelt has the eye of the judges, who could play a big role in whether his Olympic dream becomes reality.

In the world of gymnastics, reputation can go a long way and a decent routine by a great gymnast can get a higher score than a better routine by a lesser-known athlete.

"I hate to say it but that's the way it is," he says.

"That's why you can't be great when you're young because you do have to build up that reputation and prove yourself over and over. The more times you do your routine and hit medals, they're going to give you the scores."

As an 18 year old, Shewfelt finished a respectable 12th in the floor competition at Sydney.

"I was young and just happy to be at the Olympics," he says. "Now my main, main priority is winning the competition and winning medals. I've seen how it works and had the Olympic experience. Now I have a job to do."

The self-described perfectionist won't be happy with anything less than a medal this time around.

Shewfelt knows, given his world championship and World Cup success, the expectations of a medal-hungry country will be on his shoulders.

"There's more pressure now. Before, I was the underdog, nobody expected anything and now they're expecting big things from me. But most of the pressure comes from myself. All I can do is train hard and put myself in pressure situations before the Games.

"With experience, you learn how to deal with it and not get too scared. You put it out of your mind.

"For some reason, I can just downplay it and say, 'I know this is it.' But I'm not going to focus on that because it'll screw me up."

Winning an Olympic medal would likely make Shewfelt a household name in Canada and possibly lead to a mountain of endorsement deals and magazine covers.

He is well aware of what an Olympic medal would mean for Canada and himself.

"It would be life-changing. I'm still going to be the same person after it happens, but I really think it'll create some opportunities for me and I'll take advantage of them.

"I think it would change gymnastics in Canada because I think medals are inspiring for young athletes and we'd get more people into the sport."

June 1-6: Canadian championships and first Olympic Trials, Mississauga

July 10-11: Final Olympic trials, Toronto

July 13-25: Olympic training camp, Markham-Toronto

July 26-Aug. 4: Olympic training camp, St.-Ettienne, France

Aug. 5-12: Final Olympic training camp, Athens