SOPHIE Hitchon has finished 12th in the women's hammer final in the Olympic Stadium tonight.

The Blackburn Harriers athlete, from Burnley, was just happy to be in the final after breaking the British record with a throw of 71.98m in qualifying on Wednesday.

Hitchon's first attempt in tonight's final was 69.33m but she was unable to improve on that mark in her next two throws.

Only the top eight qualify for three more throws.

She said: "It was amazing and just to be there was the best thing ever. I broke the British record to get there. Having to do that in qualification takes a lot out of you and just being in the final was the ultimate goal."

On Wednesday, Hitchon qualified in 10th position overall after throwing a personal best of 71.98m in the last of her three qualifying attempts.

It beat her previous best of 71.61m that she set in San Diego, California, earlier this summer.