Simpson is confident she will make the Olympic qualifying mark (Getty)

Cornwall runner Jemma Simpson is edging closer to the 800m qualifying time for this summer's Olympics.

She clocked two minutes and 37 seconds as he came second to Olympic silver medallist Hasna Banhassi from Morocco at Jerez on Tuesday.

Simpson, who is the reigning UK champion over 800m, feels confident she can break the two minute mark needed for qualification.

"Race by race, I'm edging towards the Olympic qualification time," she said.

"My coach and I are confident that I can do it. The Jerez result was very encouraging and in training I have been running quicker times than I have ever done before."

Her next meeting is likely to be in either Milan or Madrid as she builds up for the Olympic trials in Birmingham on 12-13 July.

"I am less than half a second away from my Olympic dream, and as the days go by I am more and more confident that I am going to live that dream," she added.