James Ellington celebrates as he crosses the line first in the 400m final in Birmingham at the weekend

Newham and Essex Beagles James Ellington described Sunday as the best day of his life after securing a spot at the London 2012 Olympics.

But it has not all been plain sailing for the 26-year-old, who six months ago auctioned himself off on eBay in a desperate bid to gain sponsorship.

And all that has proved worthwhile after Ellington clocked 20.56 seconds in the 200m final at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham on Sunday in the GB trials to confirm his place in the squad, having already achieved the A qualifying standard of 20.55 earlier in the month in Geneva.

“Today is the best day of my life,” he said. “I said from the beginning all I needed was the backing and the support so I could train full time, hence the eBay idea.”

Ellington took the gamble by putting himself up for auction and the possibility of a bogus bidder after only receiving minimal funding from the UK Athletics’ Lottery funds, but it was one he felt he had to take.

“I dreamt it, that was the whole idea,” he added. “I thought I need to give it a go this year, because if it’s going to happen it’s got to happen this year. And it paid off, big time.

“There are people who want to be your best friend when you’re running well, as soon as you’re not running well they don’t want to know you.

“But that doesn’t bother me, because I always knew what potential I had and I think I’ve shown everyone today.”

But club-mate Chris Tomlinson was unsuccessful in his search for the 8.20m long jump he requires to qualify for the Games, after coming third behind Greg Rutherford, who has the A standard, and fellow Newham & Essex Beagle JJ Jegede.

However, Tomlinson believes he has it within himself to jump the required distance, and beyond Rutherford’s 8.35m, the world’s leading jump this season.

Expect

“I expect quite a lot this year,” said Tomlinson. “The Olympic long jump final looks like being the most open it’s ever been. Some big names are missing or not jumping well and Greg Rutherford is the world leader with 8.35m and I know I can jump that.

“But I want to jump 8.50m. I believe I can do it, I believe it’s within me, and I would love to get to my third Olympics.

“People says the third is their best, I hope that’s the case and that I get myself selected. I need to get there to prove what I can do.”

Elsewhere, Asha Philip in the 100m progressed through to the finals and set a season’s best of 11.59 but could only take fourth.

Kola Adedoyin finished second in the triple jump with a leap of 16.07m in a field which was minus European Champion Phillips Idowu, who missed out through injury.