Derham will settle for place in Berlin final

 HAMMER thrower Zoe Derham has admitted she will settle for a place in the final at the World Championships, but intends to end her career on a high at the London 2012 Olympics.

HAMMER TIME: Zoe Derham targets the hammer final at World Championships in Berlin (Getty Images for Aviva)

The 28-year-old hammer thrower, who took gold at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham at the Aviva UK Championships and World Trials last month with a throw of 67.94m, is desperate to finish her career with a piece of silverware.

Derham knows her season's best of 68m or even her lifetime's best of 68.63m set in 2008 won't see her challenging for medals in Berlin on Thursday - but the British number one has set herself the target of a final berth in Germany.

The world number one Anita Wlodarczyk has already thrown 77.20m this season but more pressing on Derham's mind is medalling at next year's Commonwealth Games in Delhi, before having one last hurrah at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

"The goal is to make the final this time round and then obviously next year is the European Championships in Barcelona and the Commonwealth Games," said Derham.

"I'm not sure if London will be my final event but I'll be getting towards the point where I'm thinking do I still want to be doing it?

"I'm getting towards 15 or 16 years now, which is a long time to not really be able to do everything you want to but we'll see what happens.

 "I'll be looking towards medaling at the Commonwealths really. I finished fifth last time around so the next step from that would be a medal.

"We'll take the Euros as it comes really - the Commonwealths will be my main focus. Obviously the Euros will be a focus but maybe not as much as the Commonwealths.

"Out here, making the final would be a big achievement. That'd be really good for what I'm looking at and will see me continue my development."

Derham, who is desperate to get her hands on Lorraine Shaw's British record, knows she must produce the throw of her life is she's to be competitive in Berlin.

The Gloucestershire-ace insists being British number one and qualifying for a World Championship was her minimum requirement for 2009 - but now Derham has a new challenge on her mind.  

"Distance as well as result is a big thing," said Derham. "I want to go in and be competitive.

"A lot of the girls are throwing 70m plus and realistically I know I'm in the shape to do that but it's the fact that I haven't done it yet.

"I've thrown 68m, 69m, for British records at the higher end of my scale but at least I know I'm competing. I might not make a medal but I know I'm still on track for what we're looking for.

"To come in and win a medal is quite unrealistic because the world lead is 78ish metres and my best is 68m.  A ten metre improvement in two weeks would be great but not particularly realistic.

"It is better to be realistic. You have to start somewhere and for me being in the finals is starting somewhere and you can progress from there.

"My target would be another personal best in Berlin. This is my first world championships. I've done the Olympics and the Europeans and two Commonwealths but never the Worlds. It's not a new feeling but it's still new in a weird kind of way."