Cornwall's international track star Jemma Simpson breezed through to tonight's women's 800 metres 2010 European Athletics Championships final in Barcelona.

The 26-year-old Newquay & Par Athletics Club runner won Tuesday night's third and final qualifying heat in 1:59.18 to take her place in tonight's final eight alongside compatriot Jenny Meadows.

Simpson (pictured) will now bid to turn her first major final appearance into a medal-winning one. The Cornish runner – who sped to a personal best 1:58.74 in Monaco last Thursday night – admitted: "I felt better in Monaco but I guess that was because on Tuesday night it was hotter and I was a little more nervous. Overall though I am really pleased to make the final and I am feeling confident."

After coasting home in the heats, Simpson – whose family hail from Polgooth, near St Austell – said: "I went out hard from the start and felt good all the way round."

Her time was fourth fastest from all three heats and she ran a technically astute race. Simpson started on the inside lane and despite being overtaken by Greece's Eleni Filandra maintained her cool in the Spanish heat to win comfortably.

Filandra passed the first lap bell in 58.07 and still led with 200 metres to go, clocking 1:28.51 at 600 metres. But then she made way for Simpson, who scorched past the Greek runner on the inside lane and then successfully held off an attempt by Czech Lenka Masna to pass her down the final straight.

Simpson eased away to finish some distance ahead of runner-up Masna, who ran a personal best 1:59.71 to qualify for tonight's final.

Mark Lewis-Francis last night hailed winning his shock European silver medal as a better feeling than taking Olympic relay gold in Athens six years ago.

The 27-year-old snatched second place behind France's Christophe Lemaitre in last night's 100metre final at Barcelona's Olympic Stadium, clocking 10.18seconds in a blanket finish which saw second to fifth all given the same time. He said: "I always like to fulfil my dreams – and one of them is definitely to get a medal in my individual."