LISTEN: Chalmers not about to give up on Paris dream
Alastair Chalmers is calling on two big mainland European meets in his rush to achieve the Olympic 400m hurdles standard.
After the agony of just missing the mark with his fantastic Guernsey record of 48.76sec. at the European Championships, he has unveiled a contingency plan that includes Finland’s Paavo Nurmi Games next Tuesday and then Switzerland’s AtleticaGeneve on 22 June.
Chalmers considers both ‘really good opportunities’ to run the required 48.70 before the window ends this month.
‘[It’s] just knowing that there is a chance I might not go to the Olympic Games over six-hundredths, and how fast I’ve run just deserves to go to any Olympic Games in history,’ the 24-year-old said.
Listen to the full interview with Ala Chalmers on the latest Guernsey Press Sport Podcast
‘This is the hardest standard they’ve ever set and I’m six-hundredths off of it.
‘I’m like, damn, I need to just go run that time because [otherwise] I’ll just be gutted for the rest of my life, I think.’
The UK Championships, which take place on 29 and 30 June, provide a final opportunity to run the qualifying time.
But the Finnish and Swiss meets are on the World Athletics Continental Tour and so promise high levels of international opposition.
‘I’m not going to lose my shape or fitness in a week. It will be more like getting my body in a good position to go again.
‘So I believe I can do it. I’ve just got to put myself out there.’
He also thanked those that have supported him after the emotional rollercoaster of the ‘Euros’, where he failed to progress with a time that seemed sure to secure a non-automatic qualifying spot.
‘It’s been quite nice actually, because even online – Twitter and Instagram and Facebook – there’s been a lot of love.
‘I think people know how agonising it was, especially in those conditions, to not make the final and then to be so close to the standard. I think people just felt for me.
‘And it’s really good that people understand how good I ran, but also how unfortunate it was.’
He even recalled a post-race exchange with all-time 400m hurdles great Karsten Warholm, who was speechless that the time was not enough to qualify.
Chalmers’ improvement was significant enough to lift him to 10th in Great Britain’s all-time list for 400m hurdles.
Certainly, he can take pride from how he ran in Rome.
‘I’m just so proud of how I actually ran that.
‘Everyone talks a big game, and to go and actually do what I did was next level.
‘I’ve definitely shocked a few people – and I'm really, really happy with it.’
