THREE Dorset Olympic hopefuls are poised to learn whether they have made the next step in their bid to compete at this summer’s Games.

Volleyball stars Dan Hunter, Oli Kimber and Danny Weemes were last night waiting to discover if they had made the cut as the Team GB indoor squad was set to be trimmed from 16 to 14.

The former Wessex players were all named in the provisional 16-strong Olympic line-up, with the eventual London 2012 group to consist of 12 men.

Poole-born Hunter, who plays professionally in Holland, is desperate to continue his Olympic journey.

He told the Daily Echo: “I am trying to reach my highest level ever in the run up to the Olympics to show the coach why he should pick me in the 12 for London.

“It is really exciting that the Olympics is so close.

“We have a lot of things to do in the build up, a few cuts and selections to get through and it will be hard work.

“It is quite surreal that this is the year we have been training so hard for, but I am determined to keep pushing no matter what and try to earn a place in the squad and make my friends, family and coaches at home proud.”The GB team won the first leg of their European Championship qualifiers in Albania last weekend and will play the return fixture tomorrow.

• For all the latest local Olympics news, see the Going for Gold pages every Saturday in the Daily Echo.