This Is Guernsey

By Rob Batiste

Lee Merrien heads the field in Rhodes, where he completed his second straight 1,500m-5,000m double at a canter. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0456910)

ONE of Finland’s greatest distance runners could pose a threat to Lee Merrien’s hopes of another distance double at this year’s NatWest Island Games.

Former European champion and Olympic long distance runner Janne Holmen is expected to don the vest of his native island, Aland, for the first time at the 13th biennial Games in late June, early July.

The greatest moment for Aland’s finest athlete - and the island has had a few of international standard - was winning the European Championships marathon title at Munich in 2002, when he crossed the line in 2hr. 12.04min.

Aged only 31, the Sweden-based runner is still competing at the highest levels, but hopes that Europa Cup commitments in June will still allow him to represent his home island in its second hosting of the Games.

Holmen was ninth in the World Championships last year, being well off his marathon best of 2.10.46, and while it is thought he would be unlikely to run in the Games half-marathon, because he would be in the middle of a heavy period of competition, entering a track event would certainly be one of the highlights of the week for the home crowd at the six-lane Wiklof Holding Arena, in Mariehamn.

That could mean a possible showdown with Merrien, Guernsey’s medal winning GB cross-country man, in the 5,000m, should Holmen feel comfortable enough to make a significant drop down in distance.

And if that was to happen, it would certainly have the athletics-mad islanders – the stand alone seats 1,650 spectators – stamping their feet.

Merrien, who has achieved the 1,500m and 5,000 double at the last two Games and in the longer races appears to be almost bored by the ease of it all, welcomed the news of Holmen putting himself on the start line.

‘The 5k wouldn’t be his strongest event but if he does do it it will make for a challenging race which can only be good for the Island Games,’ he said.

However, it would seem more likely that Holmen plumps for the 10,000m, in which Guernsey’s leading contender may well be Steve Dawes, the island’s recognised No. 2 distance man.

In other Games developments, the ban on the use of lead shot for the shooting events has been lifted.

After consultation between the host’s shooting association and their local environmental health officers, it has been decided that the use of lead shot will be permitted during the Games.

The decision was reached after many requests from competitors, with lead and the evironmentally friendly steel shot being made available at the Bredmo Range.

Article posted on 2nd January, 2009 - 2.30pm