XII Natwest Island Games Rhodes 2007
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A not entirely formal view from inside the team
Friday July 6th
The final morning session was a very golden one for Guernsey. Lee Merrien added the 1,500mtrs title to his 5,000mtrs one and also contributed a fine leg to the victorious mens 4x400mtrs team. Matt Loveridge was put on a very difficult first leg where he was up against Cayman's fastest man, he handed over to Lee who kept Guernsey conmpetitive. Dale Garland eat up the gap with an unofficial clocking in the 46.0 secs range, leaving Tom Druce to do the honours and move into Gold medal position in the home straight.
Guernsey's girls 4 x 400 team had to settle for silver behind a strong Jersey quartet The 4 x 100mtr men also won silver whilst the girls team won another gold despite a slightly controversial moment when Helen Watts hit the deck, hard, after having handed over the baton on the last leg. No permanent damage sustained to track or athlete.
The feeling is that the Guernsey T&F squad acquitted themselves well and came home with many well deserved medals and performances. The conditions made it difficult both from a heat perspective and also the strength of the wind. As always crowds and support at the track were excellent and it is clear that the overall standards in quality and quantity are edging upwards. IG medals are getting harder and harder to win, expect this to continue in Aland.
A big thank you from the athletes to the team managers, assistants, the medical team and volunteers your efforts were invaluable. Thanks too to Charlie Cottam whose commentry and annoucements over the tannoy made it feel as though Footes Lane had been moved by a couple of thousand kilometres.
One more Looky Likey Ever wonder why Mezza (Lee Merrien) didn't travel with the team out to Rhodes - well he has a little side line that usually keeps him busy for the first one or two days of the week.
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Lee Merrien ? |
Tim Henman ? |
Copyright acknowledged and thanks
Thursday July 5th
Sorry for the brevity tonight but needs must, after all I'm not on holiday and have a little sporting work to myself to do tomorrow.
So far this evening, as far as I am aware, Dale Garland took Gold in the 400mtrs smashing the Games record in the process in around 46.7 secs, he was joined on the podium by Tom Druce who took bronze
in about 48.29 which must be around his PB. Helen Watts took bronze in the 800mtrs, and probably took a big chunk off her PB in the process with Martine Scholes not too far behind.
Louise Perrio took silver in the 10,000mtrs behind Jersey's Jo Garrod (formerly McGarry). In the field events Kim Gleeson had made a promising start in the long jump and was in a medal position, whilst Alan Rowbury was competing in the Javelin.
Kim Gleeson was also due to run in the 200mtrs final.
There probably won't be an update after the Friday morning session and then the grand conveyor belt to bring us all back to Guernsey begins, during which we will be offline. So I hope you have enjoyed what you have found here and visit again for a further round up and another entry in the looky likely competition. Your correspondant.
Wednesday July 4th
Today is a rest day in the athletics program so people have generally been relaxing, taking the opportunity to watch some other sports, hang around by the pool / sea or even a spot of sight seeing.
We thought we would take the opportunity to help make a few things clear.
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The Medalists in each event are also awarded garlands, but they are not made from or by Laurel |
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Laurel has not won a medal |
Question.How many ways can you spell the host island's name using the western european alphabet ?
Answer At least three that we have spotted so far:
Rhodes - as commonly spelt in English
Rodos - how the locals would generally spell it using our alphabet
Rhodos - how it is spelt on our official team kit, which according to GIAAC sources who know about such things is also acceptable - something to do with the Greek symbol that starts the word Rodos actually being sounded as RHO, which also happens to be the international airport code for the island as well.
Confused - you should be! I could have siad it was all Greek to me but perhaps that is just pushing it a bit too far!!
Looky Likey Time
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Kate Winslet ? |
Laura Arblaster ? |
Copyright acknowledged and thanks
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAURA from all of the team
Tuesday July 3rd
Evening session : Guernsey had seven athletes in action this evening, a strong wind made it difficult for both the high jumpers and the distance runners in action.
Erica Bodman was Guernsey's "Athlete of the Night" in the High Jump. With three girls still in at 1.65mtrs, all three athletes failed their first two attempts, and with the advantage of jumping last,s Bodman watched her two oppenents fail their third attempts giving Bodman the opportunity to take the Gold by clearing the jump. And like a true champion she literally rose to the occasion to take the title.
Laurel Garfield cleared 1.50mtrs in the same competition.
The women's 5,000mtrs featured Louise Perrio and Martine Scholes the latter having qualified for Thursday's 800mtr final along with the Helen Watts in the morning session. Rhodes provided a runaway winner in a new Games record with Jersey's Jo Garrod taking silver, Perrio ran a brave race being isolated between the leading duo and the chase group being driven by Scholes.
With a coming together of four athletes with 800mtrs to run, the fight for the bronze medal was intense with Perrio finishing fourth and Scholes finishing sixth in a new lifetime best.
Robbie Cowling was ecstatic with his first long jump in excess of 7mtrs (7.04mtrs) in an enthusiastically supported competition that saw two athletes go over 7.40mtrs.
Gemma Tingey improved her Shot Putt PB to 11.73mtrs to take fourth place, however it was down to Lee Merrien to deliver our second Gold of the evening with a comprehensive
victory in the 5,000mtrs lapping all bar the 2nd to 4th place finishers.
Monday July 2nd
Evening session : Guernsey secured it's first T&F Golds of the Games care of Kimberley Goodall (400mtrs) and Tom Druce (800mtrs). The evening started off with a fine 7th placing in the Womens 100mtrs final for 16 year old Kimberley Gleeson underlining what potential she offers for future Games to be able to reach such a high level at such a tender age. Stick with it Kim!
Mikey Batiste (400mtrs hurdles) came back from a nightmare of a qualifying round in the morning to place an exceptional 4th in this evening's final. Gemma Tingey was lying 6th in the Javelin from my last information.
Kim Goodall ran a very measured and well paced 400mtrs to claim Gold in a tight finish, with Laura Arblaster adding a second Bronze to the one she won in last night's triple jump, after making a very positive start to the race and holding on well to put the Guernsey duo on the podium together.
Tom Druce's blistering kick with 200mtrs remaining in the 800mtrs completly blew the field apart whilst Matt Loveridge ran a great race to place 5th.
Sunday July 1st
Morning session : Early start today for the half marathon runners. Temperature at 9am was hot but not inhumane. Our trio of Steve Dawes, Paul Ingrouille and Dave Holmes were aiming for individual and team medals.
Sadly it was not to be Steve's day. He set his stall out with great intent going with the leading group consisting of two atheletes from Bermuda and Kim Godfredson of Greenland. Dave started well and Ingy by his own admission had a dreadful first few miles.
After the turn point Steve started to suffer and dropped off the pace of the leaders, Ingy meanwhile was just getting into his stride and powered through the field for a top 10 finish. Steve hung on and Dave was also strong in the final quarter and the lads picked up team bronze behind Bermuda and Greenland.
Evening session : The evening brought much cooler very comfortable temperatures but a gusty breeze on the back straight. Martine Scholes didn't put a foot wrong in the 1500mtrs final and was cruelly denied a medal in the home straight being overtaken just 70mtrs from the line, she was however rewarded with her second fastest time ever at the distance. An indication of the standard was that four of the five fastest times in the history of the Island Games were recorded by the first four finishers.
Laura Arblaster was the first on the medal podium with bronze in the triple jump. Lee Garland demonstrated his experience to take bronze in the 3000mtrs steeplechase. Our 800mtrs runners Tom Druce and Matt Loveridge qualified for the final.
Nathan Stevens qualified for the next round of the 200mtrs whilst Matt Bailey pulled up due to his achilles injury, and Kim Gleeson progressed to the next round of the 100mtrs.
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