COUNTY gold and silver medals at the Hampshire Championships were welcome additions to the Lee Merrien trophy cabinet, but it was the times he posted that most excited the island’s top distance runner. In running 1-52.3 for the 800 metres, Merrien, 25, came within four tenths of his personal best for two laps, a fine achievement at such an early stage in the summer track and field season.

‘I ran 1-51.9 just before last year’s Island Games. I think I can take as large chunk off my PB if I can find the right races,’ said the Guernseyman back at his Bath base.

He was also delighted with his 1,500 victory, achieved with his fastest time of the season, 3-49.95.

‘I was really pleased with that. I went straight to the front of what was a fairly big field (16 runners) so I could stay out of trouble.

He stayed there, too, finishing nearly seven seconds ahead of Basingstoke’s Steve Turvill, who had pipped him for second spot in the 800.

All told, GIAAC sent a team of 37 to the two-day event, but Dale Garland and Kimberley Goodall were not among them.

Garland was in Barcelona for warm-weather training ahead of his first decathlon of the season at Woodford Green in 10 days’ time.

Goodall is still recovering from a viral infection that has laid her low for a couple of months.

Among the other Guernsey seniors, Helen Tolcher took bronze in the women’s 1,500, while wearing the red-and-black of Herne Hill Harriers, her first-claim club.

Her very useful 4-53.38 is one of the quickest times posted by a Sarnian, although it remains six seconds outside the island record held by Caroline Wickham since the Gibraltar Island Games.

Lee Garland and Steve Dawes took first and third respectively in the 3,000m steeplechase, but the positions were reversed in the 5,000, although both finished well down the field.

Nathan Stevens won a silver in the under-20 men’s 400, but fellow Island Games team-member, Tom Druce, continues to struggle with injury and missed out in both the 400 and 800.

Danielle Troke claimed a good silver in the senior women 100m hurdles and a bronze in the flat sprint.

Other than Merrien and Kylie Robilliard’s fantastic hurdling, arguably the best GIAAC performances came from junior throwers Gemma Tingay and James Brehaut.

The Les Beaucamps schoolgirl achieved a fine javelin-shot double, while Brehaut produced not one, but two championship-best performances to win the under-13 javelin.

His initial record effort was beaten by main rival Richard Shuttleworth of City of Portsmouth, but back came the Guernsey boy to post his first 35-metre throw and take gold.

Terry Bates, the Healthspan athletics development officer, was satisfied with the club’s showing.

‘This was a great weekend for Guernsey athletes. In addition to the medals, there were also personal bests across the board for the Guernsey team, who were all excellent ambassadors for the island both on and off the field.’

*Jersey’s huge team of 54 brought home 30 gold, 18 silver and 15 bronze.