His fourth-place finish, Eleanor Jamieson’s fifth in the 1,500m steeplechase, and Amelie Van Heerden’s sixth over 200m, made them the three leading lights of the nine Sarnians competing at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium.
It was not just the magnitude of these performances on this great stage, but the depth and variety within the squad, that rather pleased Guernsey Athletics development officer Tom Druce.
‘It’s really exciting for us to see such strong performances from different athletes,’ he said.
‘We have some strong performances from Emil and Theo, but for three others to show themselves at this point of the season, being able to step up on this stage and perform in their events, is really exciting for us as a club – and in very different events as well.
‘The whole team was representing us across all disciplines and all ages, which is the first time that has happened to us.’
Prince matched his personal best with a 15.31m effort but more importantly made an impression against England’s best in the intermediate boys.
He came just short of a podium containing Northamptonshire’s Michael Graham (16.24), Essex’s Ameer Salaam (15.97) and Lancashire’s Oliver Delancey (15.42).
Fresh from an English U20 medal in the 3,000m ‘chase’, senior girl Jamieson went over half the distance and picked off several favourably-ranked athletes in the second half to post a swift 5min. 0.66sec.
Although she missed out on fourth by 0.48sec., she still made history as the island’s highest-placing senior girl in English Schools endurance running.
The remainder of the team’s performances were more notable in that that they are all at the bottom of their respective age groups.
Van Heerden held up well against older opponents in the intermediate girls’ 200m, including running 24.92 for second in her heat.
She followed up with a 25.10 in the final, finishing a mere hundredth behind fifth place.
Senior 200m sprinter Theo Le Tissier was among those who did not make it beyond the heats, having struggled with injury and illness in the build-up before battling a headwind to post 22.51.
After his own interrupted build-up, Emil Friedrich came near his personal best with a 1-55.89 in the intermediate boys’ 800m heats but still narrowly missed out on progressing.
It was a similar case for younger brother Paul Friedrich in the junior boys’ 1,500m, whose 4-17.06 fell narrowly short.
Hurdlers Olivia Whitmore and Nikola Vagule went in the intermediate 100m hurdles heats, posting 15.41 and 16.29 respectively into the headwinds.
In the intermediate high jump straight final, David Bown finished 12th with a best clearance of 1.80m.
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