Commonwealth hope eyes doubling up in Birmingham

The 20-year-old blasted down Footes Lane’s home straight in 11.93sec. to displace Kylie Robilliard as the Guernsey 100m record holder, going one-hundredth quicker than the sprint-hurdling great’s golden run from the Isle of Wight 2011 Island Games.

The signs were there.

Galpin had broken 12sec. on a seemingly still night two weeks prior, only to be left bewildered by an illegal wind reading. She addressed that earlier on the night of her record with a legal 11.97.

But a mixed-gender 100m final brought the very best out of her as she chased home U20 men Josh Duke (11.25) and Josh Avery (11.87, earlier 11.85).

‘I’m really surprised, and obviously really happy,’ the Commonwealth Games hopeful said.

‘It was a bit of a shock because after the first round, I was feeling a bit tired.

‘I was hoping for another sub-12 – but I really wasn’t expecting to run that fast.’

Factoring in last month’s record-smashing 24.34 run over 200m, it has already been quite the season for the youngster.

However, the dual record-holder is hungry for further progress. What’s next?

‘It’s a difficult one – initially when I said I wanted to qualify for the Commonwealths, I only was targeting the “two”,’ she added.

‘But now I’m four-hundredths off both times.

‘I really want to get that 200 first, but potentially if I get a really good race in, I could get the other one.’

In the earlier heat, 13-year-old Edie Dorrian ran a superb 12.84 to surpass Island Games sprinter Vicky Mann’s 13.00.

This big personal best puts Dorrian well on track to soon challenge or beat Kimberley Gleeson’s U15 record of 12.50.

The blue-riband sprint ultimately took centre stage from an otherwise impressive 1500m on the still but sweltering evening.

Distance star Will Bodkin lined up continuing his quest for a sub-4 – something he achieved, even if 800m ace Chris Bain proved his foil.

Bodkin set an appropriately hot pace for the duration and yet the 18-year-old managed to stick right on him, unleashing his fiery kick in the last 200m to stop the clock at 3-57.05, a significant PB.

Bain’s time from this successful over-distance foray also stands as a Guernsey U20 record – even if Danny Ray once ran fractionally quicker as an U17.

Bodkin followed in 3-59.07, his second quickest yet.

It was not to be, though, for Peter Curtis in his solo stab at the Commonwealths 400m hurdles mark.

He ran 53.49 to land roughly 1sec. outside the ‘B’ standard.

Rhiannon Dowinton won the 300m hurdles in 47.21 to top a solid sub-50 debut by U15 Darcey Hodgson, while U17 Kate Bain won the flat equivalent in 42.35 after rallying past sprinter Isabelle Lowe.

The highlight of the field schedule was a close duel between young triple-jumpers Sofia Mella and Vicky Hancock.

U17 Hancock lined up initially having not passed 10m legally, yet she graduated with a 10.74m after a strong series, leaving Island Games jumper Mella settling for second despite a season’s best of 10.46m.

Hammer record-holder Sia Banbury marked her belated season opener with a decent 42.92m throw.