UK Sport, who launched the novel idea in Trafalgar Square in February 2007, announced that 34 rowers, 11 handball players and seven volleyball players have been intergrated into British squads after successfully applying to the scheme.

An amazing 3,854 applicants replied to the launch for potential sleeping giants to apply for sport-specific testing if they were over 6ft 3in (men) and 5ft 11 (women), aged between 16 and 25 and had good all-round athletic ability.

A vigorious testing procedure supported by UK Sport and the English Institute of Sport saw two stages of screening at six centres for potential applicants linking with British rowing's world-class start programme, sponsored by Siemens, four testing procedures for would-be handball players in association with British Handball and three talent identification camps for wanna-be stars of the future within indoor volleyball and beach volleyball in association with the British Volleyball Federation.

Sir Steve Redgrave, the five-time Olympic gold medallist, who is the public face of the scheme, said: "I am delighted and astounded that so many members of the British public came forward with the ambition of competing for GB at the London 2012 Olympics.

"Sporting Giants was about finding tall people who had the right characteristics to become stars of the future.

"It did that in bucket loads and some of the hidden talent that has emerged is incredible."

There are several inspiring stories among those who were selected, including Stuart Campbell, a 25-year-old from Manchester, who 12 months ago was helping a friend with bricklaying duties when his father telephoned after hearing Sir Steve launch the project on radio and suggested he should apply.

Campbell said: "I had never even seen a handball court before Sporting Giants, but now a year on I'm part of the British Handball Academy in Denmark with a chance of representing Great Britain at the Olympic Games, which would be a dream come ture if I'd ever allowed myself to dream it in the first place."

The architect of the scheme is Chelsea Warr, an Australian who is now the UK Sport performance consultant.

"Sporting Giants has demonstrated the great desire among young British sportsmen and women to become Olympic athletes as well as the hidden talent that exists out there.

"We have been able to give a small number of them a key that may well unlock a door to an amazing Olympic journey.

"All those that have made it to this stage have the right ingredients to be thoroughbreds although, as with all Olympic athletes, a huge amount of hard work lies in wait for them and ultimately there can be no guarantees."

Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe said: "Sporting Giants has proven to be a great success and I am apleased that it has unearthed potential British sports stars of the future.

"UK Sport, the English Institute of Sport and the three sports governing boides involved deserve credit for making his scheme work and leaving no stone unturned in fnding talent that could bring Team GB success at London 2012."