KIM GLEESON and David Campbell provided the outstanding performances of the relatively small GIAAC contingent which travelled to Portsmouth for the annual two-day Hampshire championships. While Jersey took a team of 55 and came away with 28 gold medals, GIAAC sent a largely development squad of 32 which still collected eight golds.
The vast majority of the Island Games squad gave the event a miss, but there were encouraging performances from the few who did travel.
Kimberley Goodall won silver in the 400m and bronze in the 800, Robin Cowling took a superb gold in the under-20 men’s long jump with a new personal best of 6.65 and Jonathan Guille won silver in the same event and took gold in the triple.
Laura Arblaster won a bronze in the under-20 400m while Michael Batiste and Matt Loveridge claimed silvers in the 400m hurdles and 800m respectively in the first of their three years in the under-20 age group.
Both seemed set for gold, but were pipped on the line.
‘Conditions all weekend were awful,’ said Dale Garland, who was there in his role as elite performance director. ‘For anyone running 400 or more, it was a real slog and impossible to produce fast times,’ he added.
‘On Saturday it was blowing very hard for the first 200m and on Sunday it reversed in direction, was still strong but also very wet and cold.’
GIAAC’s overall tally of eight gold, seven silver and 12 bronze encouraged both Garland and Richard Cowling, the club’s head of junior track and field.
‘There were other many very creditable performances from athletes who didn’t win medals,’ said Cowling.
‘A lot of our youngsters were in the bottom of their age group and produced very good fourth places, losing out on a medal by the smallest of margins.
‘I thought the team was outstanding. All were really determined and performed well at such an early stage in the season.’
Cowling singled out a few for special praise.
On Campbell’s under-13 middle-distance double, he said the youngster ‘cruised the first lap, went into the lead with 300m to go and just extended his lead to win by 20 metres.
‘For the 1,500, and in a large field against much bigger boys, David tucked in behind the leading two runners until the last bend at which point he proceeded to overtake gradually and win a very exciting finish.’
Gleeson’s sprint-long jump double was no less impressive with the Island Games on the horizon. With a strong wind at her back, she clocked a 100m best of 12.36sec. to take the gold.
‘She showed good sprinting form on the Saturday and was comfortable in the long jump in atrocious conditions on the Sunday,’ said Cowling.
It was the fifth successive year Gleeson, 16, had come away from the championships with at least one gold.
Sian Brodrick’s gold-medal hurdles performance pleased the coach.
‘Sian produced a stunning race and cruised home 10 metres in front, showing a very good technique.’
Kristy Grant has also developed well as a hurdler and claimed a bronze in the under-15 age group.
‘She really has come on from last year and produced some super hurdling.’
The last word came from Garland.
‘From an Island Games point of view it was useful because it showed the strengths and weaknesses of a few which gives us things to work on over the next six weeks.’
Article posted on 17th May, 2007 - 12.00am
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