WESSEX volleyball chairman Geoff Allen expressed his delight at the club’s remarkable Olympic hat-trick and admitted: “We are very proud.”

The Dorset outfit will be represented by three of its former players when the London 2012 Games take centre stage this summer.

Beach volleyball ace Zara Dampney, 26, yesterday joined fellow ex-Wessex stars Dan Hunter and Lucy Wicks in being selected for Team GB.

Like indoor players Hunter and Wicks, local girl Dampney learned her skills in the |youth set-up at Wessex Volleyball Club.

The former Parkstone Grammar School pupil and playing partner Shauna Mullin are the top British pairing and are ranked 37th in the world.

They will don the host nation’s colours in the beach volleyball competition on Horse Guards Parade in London.

Wessex chief Allen told the Daily Echo: “We are very proud that the three of them have made it.

“We are disappointed for the players that did not make it because they put in a tremendous amount of work and dedicated their lives, over the past few years, to trying to get to the Olympics.

“But we know it is a highly competitive environment and congratulate those who have made it.”

At one stage, Wessex had eight contenders in the frame for selection and they could yet have a fourth Olympian as Poole’s beach player Gregg Weaver awaits a decision on his fate.

Poole pair Hunter and Wicks got the nod on Friday, while Dampney’s inclusion was announced yesterday by the British Olympic Association.

Allen added: “Lucy was the first of the three to come through.

“She has very good posture and could move very fast around the court. She became a setter because of that and she took to it like a duck to water.

“Zara was part of a generation when we had an outstanding group of girls.

“Six of them went on to play |for England over three years and we won six national titles with them.

“Zara played for the full England women’s indoor team at the age of 16 and she was a very precocious talent.

“Dan has had an outstanding attitude over the past few years and he has remained very closely in touch with the club.”

Speaking after her selection, Dampney said: “I am extremely excited to represent Team GB at the Olympics and I’m looking forward to the experiences and challenges that lie ahead, especially in front of our home crowd.”

Allen confirmed that Wessex were hoping to take advantage of volleyball’s increasing profile by holding an open day for new members in September.