‘Thrilled’ Bougourd insists there is still more to come
A PERSONAL best that was four years in the making has lifted James Bougourd to third in Guernsey’s all-time javelin list.
Bougourd produced a tremendous final throw of 58.90m to brighten up an overcast Sunday morning at Footes Lane, surpassing by 1.26m his previous best from the 2017 ‘Southerns’.
With this long-awaited progression, James Menhenitt’s Guernsey record of 60.92m looks just that little bit more reachable.
‘I’m absolutely thrilled to have finally broken my PB,’ the delighted Island Games thrower said.
‘It’s been a lengthy wait and although I tried not to think of it, it has always been there at the back my mind.’
It tops off a run of good form from Bougourd, which he credited to the help of two women, namely throws coach Lydia Banbury and sports therapist Emma Hicks.
‘I have actually managed some consistent training over this last winter – I managed to go the whole way through without any real injury mishaps.
‘Lydia has been the biggest game-changer. From prehab injury prevention work to minute technical details, if the answer is there, she has found it.
‘I have been seeing “Hicksy” regularly and she has done a brilliant job keeping me in one piece and I can’t thank either of them enough.
‘Ultimately, I’d love to sit at the top of the Guernsey all-time list, but the focus for now will remain on going as we are.
‘There is more in there for sure and I still have many technical tweaks to make, and these will all take time, so 2023 is where the target is set.’
Bougourd led the competition throughout from track veteran Dale Garland – who threw 46.07m – and young Josh Avery at 41.17m.
Veteran women Debbie Doherty (28.81m) and Charmaine Johnson (22.58m) both set season’s bests.
Avery won the long jump in 5.59m but not far back, at 5.08m, was top woman Vicky Hancock with a marginal PB.
On the track, Abi Galpin showed record-breaking form over 100m by lowering her Guernsey U23 best to 12.13sec. She finished not far adrift of winner Josh Duke’s 11.55.
Duke could be excused for some fatigue following a testing 400m race.
All three runners had to be called back after roughly 100m after a timing failure, but once they got going again, Duke clocked a 50.65 PB to win a showdown with middle-distance runners Chris Bain (51.34) and Gian-Luca Robilliard (52.04 PB).
The longest event, the 1,500m, played host to a PB frenzy.
Winner Will Bodkin was not among those breaking bests, unfortunately.
Bodkin is chasing the low 3-50s this season and put in a sterling effort considering the complete lack of pressure, but he watched the time gradually slip to a tantalising 4-00.08.
Runner-up Toby Mann underlined his improvement with a 4-33.81 and beyond that were eight others setting PBs, including two young girls who are making big strides and climbing the senior all-time lists for middle distance.
Following her age-group 800m records of recent weeks, U17 Kate Bain strode to a very decent 4-57.37, yet that was not enough to surpass U15 Darcey Hodgson, who came past her to post 4-54.43.
There will be a chance for further progress on Thursday in a compact meet – 100m, 400m and 1,500m – running from 6.30pm.
