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Nobody ever doubted that Nik Arrhenius would reach the Olympics one day. Yet even he was surprised when he finally did.

The 25-year-old discus throwing prodigy who set a national high school record at Mountain View High School in Orem and won an NCAA championship at Brigham Young had not reached the top Olympic qualifying standard - despite desperately trying during a whirlwind competition tour that included nine meets in eight European nations in June.

But track officials in Sweden rewarded the effort, anyway, surprising Arrhenius with a phone call saying he would be allowed to compete for his father's native country at the Beijing Olympics.

Arrhenius had to verify the decision for himself on the Internet to believe it, but nobody else could have been surprised.

The middle of three sons of a former collegiate All-American and international track star, Arrhenius had long seemed destined for athletic greatness, having started throwing the discus even before he learned the full technique when he was 11 years old. The dual-citizen later led Mountain View to the last of five straight Class 5-A track championships and finished second at the Junior World Championships when he was just 18 years old.

Now, he's hoping he can reach the final round of competition in Beijing, especially after a disappointing performance at the World Championships last year in Japan that helped keep him from a less anxious selection process.

Web site: None

Competition dates: Aug. 16 and 19

Timeline:

Born Sept. 10, 1982 the middle of three sons to Anders and Kristine Arrhenius of Orem. Father is a former All-American shot putter at Brigham Young and 1972 Swedish Olympian who teaches at Spanish Fork High School.

Role models: In 1993, having tagged along with father and older brother, starts performing the full spin of a discus thrower, while playing other sports as well. Later begins competing on youth teams in junior high school.

Enters Mountain View High School in Orem in 1997, narrowing his athletic focus to football and track and enjoying coaching from former Olympic discus thrower L. Jay Silvester. Dad later stops him from playing football after suffering knee injury.

Enjoys breakthrough performances in 2000 while throwing heavier discus against pro athletes, fully realizing for first time that he could someday be an Olympian. Later finishes second at Junior World Championships in Chile.

Named runner-up in 2001 for national track athlete of the year as a senior after leading Mountain View to fifth straight Class 5-A state title and shattering national high-school record by throwing 234-2. Decides to compete for BYU after two-year LDS Church mission.

Returns from LDS Church mission to Sweden in 2003, fluent in the language and absorbed into the culture.

Competes for Cougars in 2004 as freshman at NCAA championships with broken bone in his wrist. Marries Tiffany Rasmussen of Oregon, a former BYU javelin thrower.

Wins NCAA championship in 2007 by throwing 206-2, after finally shaking off variety of injuries that had hampered college career.

Selected to compete for Sweden at Beijing Olympics this year after whirlwind competition tour around Europe. Wife delivers first son Erik.