STOURBRIDGE shot putter Rachel Wallader admits her push to make the Rio Olympics has taken its toll.

Wallader missed out on a place at the Games after failing to make the qualifying distance by just 22cm.

However, her season has been full of personal best showings and fine performances, most notably when making the final at the recent European Championships.

She said: “The Europeans was my last chance to qualify for the Olympics. I could have pushed for another competition the day after I landed back in the UK, but during the competition I aggravated old niggles and due to pushing my body through two competitions one after another it has tired me out.

“This year I competed almost every weekend from April. Pushing and chasing the Olympic qualifying distance, this has taken its toll on the later stages of the season.

"But with sport we are forever learning and I will just build up stronger and wiser for the next coming events. I was over the moon the make the final at the Europeans. It was new to me to qualify for a final.”

“But I was not very happy at all with my performance in the final. The body just wouldn’t do as I wanted it to, due to fatigue from the previous day. This is something I will build on for the next major competitions I go to.”

Wallader is now focused on learning from this season and looking to the next Olympics in Tokyo.

“We have the world championships in London next year and the Commonwealth Games the year after that,” she added. “I aim to build on my previous fourth place and go for a medal.

“It’s all one big learning curve, learning everyday what it takes to make it to the top.

“I have dropped a day at work to be able to focus more and access opportunities I need to move forward.”