Tasha Danvers thanks selectors for her medal glory shot

The 30-year-old Londoner, who is based in Los Angeles, rewarded their faith with a bronze in the 400 metres hurdles last night.

She also revealed how a TV show featuring former Olympian Colin Jackson provided the inspiration for her surprise medal success.

Danvers was controversially chosen for the British squad even though she was beaten in Birmingham by 19-year-old Shakes-Drayton - who did not have the 'A' qualifying time.

But Danvers went on to set a new personal best in the final and raise Britain's track and field medal haul to three so far.

Danvers said: "If I was on the outside looking in I probably would have said I shouldn't be selected.

"But the things people don't know behind the scenes are the things that the selectors know.

"They know what's going on every step of the way. They knew what the doctors were seeing and they knew how long it would take. They know I'm a championship performer - and that's what I told myself when I came out for the final."

Standing on the Beijing podium looked an impossible dream for Danvers earlier in the summer when she was struggling to overcome a succession of injuries.

But the Lambeth-born athlete fought back to fitness and her performances improved with every race at the Games.

"I am elated to get this medal," said Danvers, who finished behind winner Melaine Walker of Jamaica. "It's been easily one of the worst seasons of my life. Training was going brilliantly and then I got an Achilles problem in May that rendered me unable to run even 50m.

"Then in my first session back I tore my hamstring. It was just one thing after another.

"Ten days before the European Cup I pulled my hamstring, the doctor said it should be fine but in the race we got to 150m to go and I just could not respond.

"I then ran at the trials, got beaten, and the same thing happened, my body felt it was shutting down with 150m to go. We did a blood test and found out my white blood cell count was really low which was the reason why I was running so badly.

"But I was watching a TV show about nature or nurture with Colin Jackson and noticed how strong he was mentally. No matter what happened I thought: 'Do not give up on yourself mentally.' If you mentally stay on top of it you never know what your body can do and I managed to pull it together at the right time."