Gemma Steel has declared her intention to try to win a place at this year's Olympics.

The 25-year-old Charnwood athlete wants to run in the 5,000m at London and her appearance in tomorrow's Aviva Grand Prix indoors at Birmingham – over the shorter 3,000m distance – will put her in world-class company.

Steel, European cross-country bronze medallist last year, said: "It will be against the odds if I make it to London because I've got such little experience on the track, but I will give it my best shot.

"That would be a dream come true, but I know I have a lot of work to do to get there."

Steel has yet to run 5,000m on the track this year and had a personal best in 2011 of 15min 47sec. The A qualifying standard is 15.23 with the B standard set at 15.30.

"I know I'm quicker than that now, and tomorrow's race over the shorter 3,000m will gauge where I am at," said Steel.

"It is such a high-class field with the likes of Vivian Cheruiyot running, but I'm determined not to be overawed. It is certainly a case of going in at the deep end."

Cheruiyot is a four-time world champion and took gold in both the 5,000m and 10,000m at the world championships in Daegu last summer. Her best time for 3,000m is 8.28.66.

Steel will also be up against fellow Brit Helen Clitheroe, the woman she describes as "her inspiration" and who won gold at last year's European Indoor Championships in Paris.

Steel finished fourth on the track in the 3,000m metres at the UK Indoors in Sheffield last weekend. She ran 9.10.41, a 19-second improvement on her only other race over the distance at Loughborough last year, which is also a Charnwood club record.

The Aviva Grand Prix will be shown live on BBC One from 1pm.

A coach has been organised by the Leicestershire & Rutland Athletics Association to the Nationals a week tomorrow, and there are still a few places available. Contact John Heywood on 0116 2841519.

Sunday sees the final round of the Derby Runner Cross-Country League, which is organised by Hinckley Running Club. The race takes place at a new venue this year – Manor Farm, Ullesthorpe – and starts at 11am.

Leicester Tri-Club's Nicola Roder, who has been out of action for nearly a month after the recurrence of a cold, is already confirmed as women's champion with Wigston Phoenix's Mark Powell likely to take the men's title.