DALE GARLAND has won a place on the plane to Japan for the World Championships at the end of August. The newly-crowned 400m hurdles champion discovered last evening he had been given the nod to represent Britain in Osaka, ahead of European Under-23 champion David Greene.

‘I think he will be given added time to get the standard,’ reckoned Garland, before adding ‘he will now have to get the A standard of 49.2.’

Official announcement of the team is expected later today.

Both men had achieved the B qualifying standard and it was always thought unlikely the selectors would name both.

The Guernseyman expected an early decision because the British team for the world student championships in Bangkok is due to depart for Thailand today.

‘If he [Greene] is picked for the worlds he won’t go to the students,’ was Garland’s reading of the situation in Manchester on Sunday, the day after his historic win.

The GIAAC star said then the decision could go either way.

‘The fact is that he wasn’t fit to race today and that means I’m probably in better shape. I can’t complain though if he’s picked and likewise he can’t if I am.’

Garland is the faster of the two over the 400 flat and hopes to run that event at Crystal Palace on Friday night as part of the televised London Grand Prix.

Garland is set to race a n all GB race. Another island record beckons but with the national title under his belt the Sarnian is not getting uptight about things.

‘It’s chill-out time now really.

Looking back on his Manchester success, he said he made one mistake which was on the approach to the 10th and final barrier.

‘I played it safe on the last hurdle. I decided to do a safe 15 [strides] as opposed to a stretched 14. Because I played it safe it probably cost me a tenth of a second.’