If medals were awarded for enjoying the London Olympic Games, Carl Henriquez of Aruba might just win gold.

The +105kg weightlifter only found out a month ago he had won a place at London Olympics when he was invited to the Games by the International Weightlifting Federation. And although he has serious ambitions at London Olympics, he is fully aware he is unlikely to win anything but friends.

"It's a dream come true to be here. One month ago I thought I wasn't coming," he said.

"Then my Olympic Committee received an invitation for me to come to the London Olympics."

"I'm not going to bother myself with wondering whether I can win a medal. I am here to do my best. And if I an do that, then I will feel it is a success."

Henriquez, a manager at a swimming pool in Aruba, believes he is in a privileged position compared to athletes with more realistic ambitions of winning medals.

"Weightlifting is just my hobby. In Aruba, the life is too good to concentrate totally on weightlifting. If I don't feel like going to the gym one day, there is nobody standing over me telling me to go."

Henriquez, one of just four Aruban athletes competing at London Games, is determined to do his best while making the most of all London has to offer.

"I want to beat my personal record. If I do that then I have succeeded," he said, "I want to get some sightseeing done. And there will be time to party. I lift on 7 August and my birthday is on the 8th."

Aruba formerly competed under the flag of Netherlands Antilles but sent a team of four men and four women to the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games. They have taken part in every Olympic Games since, competing in nine sports. In Beijing 2008, they sent a swimmer and a judoka but have yet to win a medal.