Abi Galpin – UK leader in the 100m – was denied an Island 200m record last time out as she went an impressive 0.42sec inside the record. The +2.6m/s wind didn’t detract from the striking nature of the performance, however her 24.57sec mark will not stand for record purposes. With no 200m on Sunday, Galpin still has two records to take aim at. Firstly she’ll go in search of Kylie Robilliard’s Island U23 100m record of 12.20sec – set almost a decade ago at the Commonwealth Games. Later in the programme, the 19 year old will take inspiration from Ala Chalmers’ 300m hurdles and also compete over the 300m distance – though on the flat. The distance is routinely contested by women at U17 level, and Sophie Porter won the national indoor title over that distance in supreme style back in 2017. Her outstanding time of 39.99 stands as an Island record at both U17 and Senior level.
The other star of the first T&F Meet, 800m victor Chris Bain, drops down in distance to the 400m where he will face 400m hurdles specialist Sam Wallbridge. The latter will be recovering from the headline 300m hurdles and Bain has never competed over the one-lap distance before. Fellow 800m specialist Joe Yeaman also drops down to 400m after impressing over the distance in the early part of last summer – and the other man from the leading 800m trio Alex Rowe goes the other way and steps up to 1500m this time out. He will likely be unchallenged for victory over the 3 ¾ laps but the 3:59 man will be confident of setting a strong marker for himself early in this unique season.
2019 Island Games 100m hurdles champion Rhiannon Dowinton will, like Chalmers et al, take on the 300m distance over the barriers. The island’s leading triple jumpers, Jonny Guille and Sofia Mella, open their jumping for the season in the long jump. Current UK number 2 in the 100m Josh Allaway looks set to miss out with a sore heel.
The meet is an open event and will see many of the island’s junior athletes as young as 11 compete as well as the established senior athletes.
The timetable is TBC after entries close on Thursday lunchtime. Local media will be forwarded this info. The meet begins at 12:30pm
