Dobriskey hits form and eyes 1500m medal

From Tom Oldfield, Sportsbeat, in Berlin

 LISA Dobriskey is determined to repay the faith shown in her by the GB selectors after she cruised into the 1500m final at the World Athletics Championships.

ON A MISSION: Lisa Dobriskey is determined to prove her selection was the right on in 1500m final (Getty Images for Aviva)

The 25-year-old, who came an agonising fourth at the Beijing Olympics last summer, has struggled with injury this season, and competed over 1500m just four times this season before the GB squad was announced last month.

With fellow Brit Charlene Thomas taking victory at the UK Championships and World Trials, UKA head coach Charles van Commenee had a tough decision to make with Dobriskey, Twell and Hannah England all well inside the qualifying time.

The Dutchman opted for Dobriskey and Twell and while the latter, disappointed in the heats and failed to reach the semi final, Dobriskey used her trademark sprint finish to come home third in her semi in 4:03.84 minutes.

"I'm just so happy and pleased to prove my selection was the right choice," said Dobriskey. "I'm so grateful just to be here and now I'm delighted to reach the final.

"it's so easy to under-estimate the rest of the field but I have to find the right balance because last year in Beijing I think I was intimidated by some of the other athletes.

"In the race I was trying to find my rhythm and it took a little bit of time because it went out very quickly and there was a lot of pushing and shoving but once I settled down I was fine.  

"And I really enjoyed myself. Now I'm in the final I'm desperate to go one better than last year. That was tough to take so to get a medal would be fantastic."

Fastest in qualifying was Maryam Yusuf Jamal of Bahrain 4:03.64m, while the winner of heat two was Gelete Burka of Ethopia in 4:10.19m but Olympic champion Nancy Jebet Lagat of Kenya failed to qualify.   

Meanwhile, Great Britain's Michael Rimmer offered a frank assessment of his performance after crossing the line in seventh in his 800m semi final in 1:46.77.

"It was tough out there, I'm just not quite where I need to be at the moment," he admitted. "I gave it everything and at the end of the day the best I could produce was just not good enough.

"I should be running the times good enough to qualify but I'm just not performing at the moment.

"But I'm lucky enough to even be here and proud of myself to get to the semi finals. Unfortunately it just wasn't good enough."

Fastest in qualifying was Bahrain's Yusuf  Saad Kamel, who clocked 1:45:01, but Olympic silver medallist Ishmael Ahmed Ismail of Sudan suffered a heavy fall and was forced to pull up.