It was the call on which Zoe Derham had been waiting

anxiously all week to tell her she was finally an Olympian.

The West international hammer-thrower had done everything

she could to support her claim for a ticket to the Olympic

Games in Beijing.

The 27-year-old British No 1, who was born and bred in Yate

and is now based in Gloucester, won the trials last weekend

then smashed her personal best with a throw of 68.63m, the

second best throw in British history, at Loughborough

University on Thursday.

But as that was tantalisingly still short of the Olympic A

qualifying standard of 69.5m, Derham was not sure she had done

enough to get the call.

“I could hardly sleep waiting for that call,” said Derham.

“Over the past few days I haven't been sure what to think – not

sure whether I should be happy at throwing a personal best or

disappointed that I didn't reach the A standard.”

Finally, on Saturday, the call came with the news she had

made the second wave of selections for Beijing.

“When they told me before Loughborough that it was 69m or

nothing I thought that was it, but they were really impressed I

threw so well under pressure and (said) I deserved to be

rewarded for that,” added Derham.

“I am just so excited and happy with the news, especially as

I didn't think it was going to happen.”

To complete a good weekend for West athletes, former

Millfield School student Jemma Simpson has been selected to run

the 800m, while Bath sprinter Craig Pickering was handed one of

the berths for the 100m.