Hastings runner Sean Baldock is going to the Olympic Games.

The 400m ace made certain of his place in Great Britain's team for the Sydney Olympics when finishing second behind Mark Richardson in the AAA Championships at Birmingham yesterday.

His impressive performance sent shock waves around the stadium.

"I still cannot believe it," said Baldock, who had already run a personal best and Olympic qualifying time of 45.20sec in the semi-final.

"Last month in Budapest I ran the worst race of my life. I then came home and learned how to run 400m properly and look what happens. I'm shocked."

The first two automatically qualify which means that Jamie Baulch, who finished third in the final, could miss out if the selectors decide to give a wild card to Iwan Thomas, who did not run because he is injured.

The situation is further complicated because Richardson must still wait to see if the International Amateur Athletic Federation support UK Athletics' not guilty decision following a positive test for the banned substance nandrolone.

Mick Jones, from Crawley, won the hammer title but his winning effort of 71.51m was below the Olympic qualifying standard and he has just seven days to achieve a throw of 75.50m.

Jones said: "It was very difficult throwing. There was fine rain and the circle quickly got wet, it was like throwing on moss. It is so frustrating because this was probably my last chance of getting the standard."