BARACK Obama’s historic inauguration this afternoon will be the culmination of a life-changing two-year quest for one Hampshire man.

Greg Sandford, who also celebrates his 25th birthday today, rubbed shoulders with the most powerful man in the world on his campaign trail from junior senator to the 44th US President.

The University of Southampton graduate yesterday said the ceremony is the ultimate birthday present after he spent months criss-crossing the Atlantic to organise rallies and mobilise volunteers.

“I’ll be watching it from home. As much as I’d love to have been there, I feel like I’ve done my bit. I’m going to leave the Americans to enjoy tomorrow,” the Southampton Labour party youth and student officer said.

“I feel very proud to be able to say that I was a part of something that ended up being such an incredible journey.

"When I first went out there he wasn’t expected to win the nominations, let alone get elected.”

Up to two million people are predicted to attend the event, the largest gathering ever seen in Washington, and by far the most people to attend a presidential swearing-in.

Having met Obama several times on the campaign trail, Mr Sandford is not surprised at the unprecedented level of support sweeping America.

“He has that quality that you can’t name. It’s something like gravitas, but as you’d expect he is very down to earth. He is engaged in who he is talking with, whether it was one person or 100,000.

I think the expectations are naturally high because of the message of hope and change that he had throughout his campaign.

“But I’m sure that in his speech he will stress the challenges ahead and use it as a call to service for the American people.”

The Swaythling, Southampton, resident joined Obama’s team after he applying for a campaign internship programme.

Not long after graduating he was on the ground in Des Moines, Iowa, organising for the state’s caucuses in August 2007.

Sixteen months later he was celebrating the landslide election at a campaign office in Boulder, Colorado. “His campaign was inspirational. It lifted people up and inspired them to get involved in their communities. I saw someone who wasn’t afraid to speak his mind, even if it was unpopular.

“ I imagine he will be a President who isn’t afraid of telling the American people what they need to hear, rather than what he thinks they should hear and what is politically convenient.”