Dale Garland takes over the baton from Tom Druce in Aland, where Guernsey’s gold-medal-winning quartet clocked a Commonwealth Games consideration time. Both will be in Bath for a week-long intensive training camp next month. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 0799667)
DALE GARLAND is in a race against time to get fit for the IAAF World Indoor Championships in March.
The 29-year-old Guernsey athletics star, who was part of the Great Britain team that went to last year’s Beijing Olympics, picked up a tear in his calf while training seven weeks ago.
He has hopes of competing in the 400m at the Indoor Worlds in Doha, Qatar, which run from 12 to 14 March.
But to get there, he first has to get through the Aviva World Indoor Athletics Trials and UK Championships that start on 13 February.
‘I’d really like to go to the World Championships, but that means I’ve got to be, in good shape by the second week of February,’ he said.
‘I’ve had the longest spell of my life without being able to sprint. I was out for less time with my groin surgery.’
The Sarnian has recently returned to the track and is feeling good about his chances of staying fit.
‘I’m feeling all right and the calf is holding up,’ he said.
‘I’ve done quite a lot of work in the pool, on the exercise bike and in the gym. I’m lifting more than I’ve lifted before.
‘Hopefully it will equate to me running not too badly. The next week or so will tell me what sort of shape I’m in.’
Garland is taking a number of Guernsey’s Commonwealth Games hopefuls to the University of Bath next month for a weeklong intensive indoor training camp.
Joining Garland is his fellow 4×400m relay team members who secured their place in the Delhi Commonwealths with a fantastic qualifying performance in the Island Games in Aland during the summer.
Hywel Robinson, Nathan Stephens and Matt Bailey are flying over while Tom Druce, who is based in Bath, will join them there.
Kylie Robilliard, who won gold in the 100m hurdles in Aland, will be present too, as will fellow sprint hurdler Glenn Etherington, who was also a gold medallist in the 110m hurdles.
They will be using Bath’s indoor 100m track and gym.
They will also spend one day at Cardiff’s 200m indoor facility.
Garland explained the purpose behind the camp.
‘The main reason is to have a week indoors,’ he said.
‘At the moment, it’s hard to get out and do some quality sprint work. It’s to have a week of quality work then go straight into the indoor season.’
Also at the end of the week, the majority of the team are taking part in the South of England Indoor Athletics Championships.
It is being held on 16 and 17 January at the Lee Valley Indoor Athletics Centre in London.Indoor season: Guernsey stars heading to Bath and Cardiff to prepare
Article posted on 24th December, 2009 - 2.29pm
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