GREG RUTHERFORD is often forgotten when a straw poll is taken about which British athletes will make an impact at the Olympic Games in London in 2012. It is hardly a surprise. Since he won a silver medal in the long jump at the European championships in Gothenburg two years ago he has competed only five times, because of injury.

But never mind London. Rutherford, 21, is on his way to Beijing next month after a performance of extraordinary emotion at the Aviva National Championships, which incorporate the Olympic trials. He won the event with a fifth-round jump that took him to 8.20m, exactly the distance needed for Olympic qualification.

However, behind the broken smile which he could not hide, such was the success of his major return to the sport, was the pain of discovering last week that his grandfather James has terminal cancer. “I have just had the worst week and a half of my life,” said Rutherford, from Milton Keynes. “And for this to happen to me is massive, massive. I found out last Thursday that my Grandad is dying from terminal cancer, so to do this is amazing. I can’t believe it.

“I was thinking of him the whole time. He’s in Hemel Hempstead, so I am going to dash down there now to see him and show him the medal. That was all for him today. I have not trained and I have not done a lot. I have spent all my time with him and my family and what you realise is the bigger picture and how important that your family is to you. They have always been so supportive of me. My Dad said to go out there and make him proud and my Grandad said to go out there and get it done.”

He thought about not competing but said: “I was a bit of a mess for quite a while and I thought, ‘If I come here, I am not going to jump well’.”

It was not the case. Rutherford’s Olympic qualifying jump, his best since winning the European trials in Manchester in 2006, came after he had jumped 8.19m in the fourth round. He was a centimetre short of the mark he needed but, as he said, he “nailed it” with his following effort.

Chris Tomlinson, the world indoor silver medallist, was only fifth with 7.76m. He has already achieved the Olympic standard and should be in the team. He said: “I know I’m in good form but I’ll have to see what the selectors do.” Such are the standards that UK Athletics now demand from their competitors, winning the trials is no longer enough to make the Olympics. Those with the qualifying standard must also meet criteria which include consistency, podium potential or a rising profile.

One man who impresses every time he runs is 22-year-old Liverpudlian Michael Rimmer, and yesterday was no exception as he charged down the home straight to win the 800m. Even though he has run inside the “A” standard of 1min 46sec only once in the past two years – the official qualifying standard – he fulfils the criterion of being a star of the future. He is being talked about as one of the leading hopes for London and he left the rest trailing.

Rimmer was too far ahead to even contemplate being challenged as he won in 1:49.13 from Andy Baddeley, testing his speed instead of running in his main event, the 1500m. Baddeley was second in 1:50.48 with Richard Hill third in 1:50.63.

“That’s what I came here for, to do three in a row and equal Steve Ovett’s record,” said Rimmer. “In a sadistic way I’m glad Andy was in the race as it added a bit of spice. I was confident but I also had self-conflict - that’s when I’m at my best.”

When the British Olympic Association announced their athletics medal target of five for Beijing, one of those in their minds would have been Kelly Sotherton, but what a year it has been for the heptathlon bronze medallist from Athens four years ago. Whatever predictions she had back in January, she could never have imagined how the next seven months would pan out. Sotherton has suffered from kidney failure on top of injury and by the time she arrives in Beijing it will be a year since she last competed over the seven events when winning the bronze medal at the world championships in Osaka.

Making up for lost time was the intention at the trials this weekend. The Birmingham athlete was looking to replicate as much of the Beijing programme as she could here but it was not the best of days. She began yesterday with the shot putt where she cleared 13.68m - her personal best is 14.66m – before moving to the high jump where she cleared a best of 1.78m, nine centimetres short of her PB.

Today, Sotherton is in the long jump and javelin, knowing that the key is gaining the competition to test herself. In the absence in Beijing of Sweden’s Olympic champion Carolina Kluft, who is taking a break from the event, the gold medal is wide open.

Lee McConnell booked her place in Beijing by winning the 400m in 52.31 in a race where only one position was up for grabs. World champion Christine Ohuruogu had chosen to run the 200m instead to test her power while Nicola Sanders, who finished second behind her in Osaka, was forced to pull out of the heats on Friday with a niggle in her left thigh. Those two will be discretionary selections when the team is named tomorrow.

Lisa Dobriskey, the Commonwealth champion, won the best race of the day with a tremendous surge in the 1500m final. She broke clear to triumph in 4:15.84 from Susan Scott, who was second in 4:16.66, with Hannah England third in 4:17.82. However, the 1500m is one event that will give the selectors plenty to think about because Stephanie Twell, who already has the qualifying time, runs in the world junior championships final today and victory there could earn her an Olympic place as well.

There was a shift in power in the women’s 400m hurdles as Tasha Danvers-Smith, who has won the national title for the past two seasons, was beaten by Perri Shakes-Drayton, the European junior silver medallist in 2006. Shakes-Drayton had more power in the final 30m to win in a personal best of 56.09 from Danvers-Smith in 57.00, with Eilidh Child third in 57.83. “I was ranked second coming here and now I am UK champion,” said Shakes-Drayton.