It isn't every day that an athlete is able to realize a lifelong dream, but Yukon weightlifter Jeane Lassen is on the verge of doing just that.

Lassen currently belongs to a select group of five women who, pending one more preliminary competition, will represent Canada at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.

On Thursday, the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce and Pelly Construction Ltd., who is Lassen's main sponsor, held a very special business after hours event in support of Lassen and her goal to make it to Beijing.

At the event, Lassen was presented with a cheque from Pelly Construction valued at $50,000.

Pelly Construction also gave away three gold nuggets as draw prizes, which symbolized the three gold medals Lassen won at the recently held Pan American Championships in Callao, Peru.

"Twenty years ago, when Pelly Construction was starting up business in the Yukon, I was a seven-year-old glued to the TV set enamoured with the Olympic Games," Lassen said in her speech at the event.

"Like millions of other kids around the world, I was filled with excitement and told everyone around me that I wanted to go to the Olympics and win a medal.

Although my Olympic journey began with the Sole Olympics when my eyes were first opened to what the Games were, my training began when I was 12.

Something I can only describe as fate introduced to me to the sport.

Twenty years after first saying I want to go to the Olympics and win a medal, I stand here and repeat, I want to go to the Olympics and win a medal."

Lassen was a 12-year-old student at Porter Creek Secondary School when she first took up weightlifting in 1993.

At the time, she was doing a variety of other sports, such as basketball and volleyball, when weightlifting coach Wes Sullivan suggested to her that she try the sport to help her become a better overall athlete.

It didn't take Lassen long to catch onto weightlifting.

Not long after taking it up, she was able to develop a routine with her training.

However, it wasn't until her first medal, which she won at the junior nationals at the age of 13, that Lassen began to take her involvement in the sport seriously.

Sullivan recognized her potential and suggested that she train for the following year's Canada Games.

Lassen's training paid off and she medalled once again at her second major competition.

Lassen was hooked and just a few years after her initial involvement in the sport, she was competing on the world stage at the young age of 15.

In 2000, Lassen, who was then 19 years old, tried out for the Olympic team for the first time.

Unfortunately, a back injury contributed to her not being selected and provided Lassen with a tough life lesson at the same time.

"That is the very hardest thing I think anyone can learn in life, is that hard work doesn't always pay off," she said in an interview after her speech.

"You want to believe that life is like that and that's justice, but it's not, but the only way to get ahead is to work hard.

So if you want to have a shot that is what you have to do.

Once I accepted that lesson and started training again for fun, for myself, then things started to go well."

Lassen started training again in 2003 and by the 2004 Games, was selected as a team alternate. She said she was just happy to train again.

"Injury is a big teacher and you question your value system," Lassen said.

"Being injured, it really made me put things in perspective.

I was just so happy to be able to do what I love.

I have been training hard ever since and just happy for each competition that I get to do because I know what it feels like not to be able to do what you love and that is really hard.

That is harder than failing, not doing what you love."

Since then Lassen, has had numerous accomplishments in the sport, including gold medal performances at both the 2006 Common Wealth Games and the World Championships.

Earlier in the month, she competed in Peru, winning three gold medals at the Pan American Championships.

At the competition, Lassen lifted 103-kg in the snatch and 134-kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 237-kg in the 75-kg category.

Lassen's success this season continued last weekend when she broke the Canadian women's record in the 75-kg category in Montreal, lifting 138-kg in clean and jerk event.

Presently, she is training in Whitehorse to compete in the final preliminary competition, which is the nationals and will be held in six weeks.

Lassen plans on staying in Whitehorse until the week before the competition.

Her goal for the Olympics is being able to lift 270-kg, but she is preparing to be able to lift at least 260-kg.

She said she is glad about having four months to train for the Games.

"I feel I have the tools I need to go into that competition and be ready, but I am really happy to have four more months to get stronger and lift heavier," Lassen said.

"I need to lift heavier if I want to get a medal at the Olympics, but I do have the mental tools and I believe in my abilities to get by in August."

Lassen said she appreciates the support the community has given her.

"I think it is difficult for some of my teammates from other communities to see how much support I get and feel that they have no chance because they are from Toronto, or Montreal, or Vancouver that they can't get the same kind of support," she said.

"I am really fortunate to be from where I am."