Chalmers is going all-out attack

The 50sec. barrier has so far evaded Chalmers, now 20 years old, but he dazzled local spectators nearly a fortnight ago by clocking 35.35 in a stunning run-out over the 300m hurdles.

His current best for the standard distance is the not-too-shabby British U20 record of 50.07 he ran last year.

While chasing an even faster time at Footes Lane, Chalmers will enter with the same forceful but composed drive he showed in his shorter season opener.

‘I’m not going to just run for sub-50, but I’ll push myself all-out and if the time’s that, the time’s that,’ he said.

‘You just don’t know. Last year I ran 50 [low-mid] six times and I was basically on antibiotics the whole time.’

As impressive as his long-hurdles credentials are, Chalmers does not hold the Guernsey all-time record, that honour still belonging to Dale Garland for his 49.54 from over a decade ago now.

This mark remains in the youngster’s sights. But, as is the feeling of development officer Tom Druce, first things come first.

‘He is fixated on that 50sec. barrier and rightly so,’ said Druce.

‘He was hoping to be in that range last year and it did not work out for him, so that will have added to the hope of doing it this year.

‘It’s great that he’s done the 300 first – it ups the suspense.’

Elder brother Cam is waiting at least two weeks for his season bow – but another all-time great occupies Sunday’s entry.

Distance star Sarah Mercier recently lowered her Guernsey 5,000m record from the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and so her step down to the 1,500m, only her second such appearance in five years, is bound to raise eyebrows.

Mercier set her current mark of 4-24.05 during that same Glasgow double-bill and while Sunday’s run isn’t a record attempt as such, her form is very apparent.

Both events feature in the third full Track and Field Meet of the summer and action begins at 12.30pm.