This Is Guernsey

By Rob Batiste

HELEN HADJAM could have won herself a place at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, but is more definite about where she will be next weekend.

Her latest island record-breaking run over 800m, achieved at the BMC Watford Gold Standard meeting, took her for the first time under the 2min. 10sec. barrier.

That mark is the standard set for Commonwealth Games selection and – in the short term more importantly to the London-based schoolteacher – enables her to make her first appearance at the full UK championships and Olympic trials at Manchester in eight days’ time.

Hadjam (pictured), formerly Helen Tolcher, clocked 2-09.98 in finishing sixth of nine starters in the A race won by Indian international Sinimole Paulose in 2-03.87.

‘When the man told me the time I could have hugged him,’ said a still excited Hadjam yesterday.

‘I’m absolutely delighted. I’ve never been to the [senior] nationals before.

‘To line up with people who will be going to the Olympics will feel fantastic.’

Hadjam’s Watford run, she said: ‘couldn’t have been more efficient’.

She ran two 65sec. laps to continue the best season of her life, including several improvements to her own island record.

Hadjam envisages her season ending next weekend.

‘It will probably be my last race of the season, because I will be going on holiday after that.

‘I’d like to run one more PB. That has to be the aim.’

She puts her best season down to an injury-free winter and increased mileage during that period.

But after a poor 2007 season she refuses to get too excited about the prospect of competing at the Commonwealths.

‘I guess it has to be an aim, but it is two years away.’

‘If things go well you never know.’

* DALE GARLAND has suffered a minor setback in his pursuit for a place in Great Britain’s Olympic squad for Beijing.

A small tear prevented him running in Belgium last weekend when he had hoped to achieve the Games qualifying standard.

The 400m hurdler has since been undergoing intensive physiotherapy in a bid to race this weekend over the 400m flat for Birchfield Harriers in the British Premier League.

Garland still hopes to achieve the hurdling standard but is using the flat four and a potential place in the 4 x 400m relay squad as a fallback.

At the recent European Cup the Sarnian ran an impressive 45.9 split to be the second quickest of the GB squad.

But, he recognises, he needs to improve his 400 ranking and hopes to do so at Eton on Sunday, a week ahead of the United Kingdom Championships and Olympic trials.

Article posted on 4th July, 2008 - 2.29pm