Anthony Foster, Freelance Reporter

Zara Northover, winner of the women's shot put, smiles after her performance. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

National shot-put champion, Zara Northover, has been added, rather belatedly, to Jamaica's team for the Olympic Games in Beijing, China, set for August 8-24.

Northover won the shot-put event at last month's National Championships with a throw of 16.78 metres, which was below the Olympic qualifying 'A' and 'B' standard and she had not been named on the original squad released on July 1. The 'A' qualifying standard, is 18.35m and the 'B' standard is 17.20m, which must be attained in the period January 1, 2007, to July 23, 2008.

However, Northover had attained the 'B' standard at the Island Games - two weeks before the trials - where she threw 17.56m for a personal best.

It is not the first time that a thrower with a 'B' standard has been selected to represent Jamaica at the Olympics, as Kimberly Barrett also qualified by that route for the Athens Games in 2004.

disappointed

Northover, who first represented Jamaica at the 2003 Junior Pan Am Games, said despite securing the B standard only once in her entire career, she was disappointed at not being selected earlier.

"It was hurtful," said the 24-year-old thrower.

"It seemed as if I had worked so hard and it was not appreciated and not good enough," noted the American-born athlete. "It took away that great feeling.

"You never get back that feeling as if you had found out right away when the team was announced," she added, pointing out that she had to do a lot of explaining to friends about her non-selection.

"But now, I am on the team, so I cannot complain.

"I just want to go out there and compete for Jamaica and hopefully bring home a medal," said Northover, who is expected to face a number of 20-metre throwers at the Olympics.