Thames Valley Harriers Amelia Strickler was delighted to get her late call up for the European Athletics Indoor Championships.

The championships start this Friday (February 5) in Torun, Poland, and the 27-year-old joins current national outdoor champion Sophie McKinna in the seventeen women's shot field.

The competition includes the current European number one from Germany and silver medallist from last championships two years ago in Glasgow Christina Schwantitz – the only woman in the line up to throw over 20m – Portugal's Auriol Dongmo, who has a season's best of 19.65, and Sweden's Fanny Roos.

Strickler threw a season's best 17.26m at British selection trials last fortnight to McKinna's impressive 18.54, however the form the American-born athlete showed last season was more than enough to satisfy Team GB bosses she deserved her place – something she says came as a surprise.

"I was surprised because they had moved the standard up a metre from the previous European indoors in Glasgow and I hadn’t thrown the standard," she said.

"I was however, hopeful because I knew my PB mark from last indoors would count towards being invited and really wanted a chance to better my indoor season this year."

Strickler, who is coached by north London-based former British men's Shot champion Zane Duquemin, has competed twice this season since overcoming an injury so this Friday will give her an opportunity to prove her worth.

"I was injured for a while and rushed back into throwing to try and have a chance at indoors. So I’m very happy to get a bit more time and a championship level competition to see what more I can do."

With the domestic women's shot scene in very good state right now, with Divine Oladipo and Adele Nicoll also coming through the ranks, Strickler's immediate goal this year is to qualify for this summer's Tokyo Olympics.

She says that, come event time this Friday in Torun, anything can happen.

"British throwing is certainly getting better and I’m just happy to be a part of it," she said.

"The ultimate goal is the Olympics and I think if I can stay healthy there’s no reason I can’t qualify. I think this Europeans is gonna be interesting as we’ve all been so challenged this past year and I think anything can happen on the day."