Christine Day (left) taking third spot in the women's 400 metres final behind winner Novlene Williams-Mills on the final day of the JAAA/Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships at the National Stadium on Sunday. - Ricardo Makyn

Christine Day is still celebrating, two days after a third-place finish in the 400 metres at the Jamaica Athletics Administration Association Supreme Ventures National Senior Championships earned her a spot on Jamaica's Olympic team to London.

"I am really excited to be a part of the Jamaica team and right now, to be honest, I cannot express my feeling now. Maybe if I was asked about my feelings in a week's time I would be able to express myself more, but for now all I can say is that I am excited," Day, of the MVP Track Club, said on Sunday night.

The 25-year-old former Tacky High student was very confident as the final approached on Sunday evening.

"During my first two rounds I felt very strong and relaxed and knew that once I executed in the final, I would have been there," she added. In the semi-finals, she clocked a personal best 50.85 to place second in heat one behind eventual champion Novlene Williams-Mills (50.52).

In the final, Day ran a cracker, running on strongly to grab third place (51.00) behind Williams-Mills (50.60) and runner-up Rosemarie Whyte (50.78). She ran past 2008 Beijing silver medallist and training partner Shericka Williams and was taking aim at Whyte before the line intervened.

While it will be her first Olympics, it will not be the first time on the world stage for Day. The Stephen Francis-coached athlete ran at the 2009 World Championships where she reached the semi-finals of the 400m.

Coming from a non-traditional high-school track team made the achievement even more special for Day, who did not qualify for last year's World Championships in Daegu, South Korea.

Day said an athlete does not have to be from a school with a strong track and field programme to do well.

"Training hard, being disciplined and believing in yourself are some of the things you need to do to help motivate yourself," she said.

early success

According to Day, her early dream was to reach the 400 metres final at the annual Boys and Girls' Champion-ships, and she did that in 2004 in Class One. She said that motivated her to continue doing the event.

Later, enrolment at the University of Technology enabled her to continue her track and field career and to study locally.

"I always wanted to go to UTech and I was very excited that I got the opportunity to go there to continue my studies and my track and field career as I did not want to go overseas because I love my Jamaican food and the fact, that I was always near to my family made me happy to stay in Jamaica."

Day lauded several people who have helped in her success on the track.

"I have some great training partners at MVP who push each other in training, and this has always helped me to do my best. Also, I have a great coach in Stephen Francis," said Day, who singled out 400m hurdler Kaliese Spencer as one of her most influential supporters.

"Kaliese is my best friend, and at the moment she is over the moon knowing that I have qualified for the team because she is the one who encourages me a lot, and several times when I wanted to quit, she will curse me out and tell me to hang in there," said Day, who also thanked her family and other close friends.