Brothers back in right place at the right time
GUERNSEY’S freshly rekindled track and field scene has received a compelling boost from the surprise arrival of two race-hungry Chalmers brothers.
All-time 400m great Cam Chalmers feels that he and young hurdler Alastair are in ‘definitely the right place’ amid a pandemic that has comprehensively stamped out racing opportunities around the globe.
But not in Guernsey. Competition returns to Footes Lane this Sunday and, despite opting to skip this opening fixture, both brothers will be eager to capitalise on any racing experience they can get their hands upon this summer.
And the ability to perform full training in the background will further bolster their bid to represent Great Britain at next year’s Olympic Games.
‘It’s good to be back home training, especially with the use of the Footes Lane track, and we can get in the gyms now,’ said Cam after a 14-day spell of isolation.
‘We can pretty much train as normal and just crack on with our training programme with the view to doing some races this summer.
‘They’re starting to crop up over here, which is great news.’
Both brothers moved from Bath to Cardiff last year to be coached by Olympian Matt Elias and while World Athletics has suspended the Olympic qualifying window until December, opportunities here may give them a head-start on their rivals once full-scale athletics resumes.
‘I think it’s definitely the right place for us to be at the moment and obviously, we can always get support over here from Tom Druce or Dale Garland, if we need a second eye, or send some footage over to Matt,’ added Cam.
‘Good set-up really, and I’m looking forward to doing some races, as that will definitely help going into next year and winter training, having gone into that intensity that you do only go to in a race.’
