THE excellence of Tom Druce and a new island record for Martine Scholes over 3,000 metres were the Sarnian highlights as the Sportingbet Channel Islands club made an encouraging bow in the national leagues.
The women finished fourth in Newport on Sunday, claiming the scalps of some big-name clubs in the process. It was there that Scholes took a second off her colleague, Louise Perrio’s, island 3km track best in finishing fourth.
Scholes (pictured) said the record had surprised her. ‘I had no idea I was on for a record, but I did know I was on for a PB. I’m pleased, of course.’
The women’s team was boosted by the return from injury of Guernsey’s Kylie Robilliard, who took third in the 100m hurdles, 100m flat and the long jump. The last was a new event for her and one in which she jumped an encouraging 5.17m.
However, the performances of the day came from Jersey Spartan Sophie Twinam, who won the high jump and the 400m hurdles, and Scholes.
Guernsey’s Gemma Tingay, who was also returning from injury, beat her personal best in the discus to take fourth.
The previous day the men had taken sixth place in their meeting in Kingston.
It was the first outing for both in their respective national leagues and could provide a useful springboard for the rest of the season.
They were missing a number of athletes and will be hoping to field stronger teams for next month’s second round of meetings.
Two fine relay performances helped the men claim valuable points after lying in eighth and last going into the final two events.
A third in the sprint relay followed by a win in the 4 x 400m moved them up two places in the final standings.
Guernsey’s Tom Druce and Jersey’s Peter Irving, who made up one half of the 4 x 400m quartet, also put in big performances in the individual events.
The 21-year-old Sarnian won the 400m, finishing a full second ahead of his nearest rival in a time of 47.65sec, and club captain Irving took second in the B race to claim some valuable match points.
The Jersey Spartan then went on to win the 400m hurdles, going through the line well clear of the field, while Michael Batiste picked up good points by finishing second in the B-string race in a season’s best.
David Martin claimed a second place in the long jump with a new personal best of 6.86m, but it was Druce who excelled, drawing a fountain of praise from CIAC team manager Andrew Winnie.
‘He was magnificent, the best I’ve seen from him.
‘He’s matured and grown up as an athlete.’
However, the team went into the meeting without a recognised thrower and therefore struggled to pick up points in the field events, leaving them with ground to make up going into the relays.
Martin and Druce teamed up with Jersey’s Ben Silva and Stephen Prosser in the sprint relay, while Guernsey youngsters Michael Batiste and Matt Loveridge made up the victorious 4 x 400m quartet.
Druce clinched the win with a fantastic 47.1 split.
‘Tom was left 40 to 50 metres behind the front two, but he caught them. That was very impressive,’ said Winnie.
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