A superb performance earned the right to lift the British Athletics League Golden Jubilee Plate at Bedford – pushing last year’s winners, Herts Phoenix, into second place, by 231 points to 227.
In a close contest, and against seven other clubs in all, the Channel Islands’ team went into the final event, the 4x400m relay, knowing that third place would be good enough to win the Plate but also knowing that Herts were favourites to win the race.
As it was, they took the lead for the first three legs of the race, only conceding the lead to Herts on the final 400m.
Even so, second place was good enough to give them enough points to win th competition outright.
And, as Channel Islands’ team manager, Andrew Winnie said afterwards: ‘These days all of the UK clubs know about the Channel Islands.
Even the big clubs have been heard to say that they have to watch out for us in competitions like these.
It’s a nice feeling, to be able to take on such clubs, at this level.’ The competition, for non-British league teams, is such that among the competitors the Channel Islands’ team members had face were national champions.
Simon Phelan, for example, competed against Dalton Grant in the high jump and the winner of the 100m, Tyrone Edgar, would have cruised his way into the semi-final of this year’s Olympics’ 100m in his winning time of 10.27 sec.
‘Some of the younger members of the team, realising the standard of opposition, were physically sick before they competed,’ said Winnie.
‘But not only were they able to hold their own; after the fifth event they were always four or five points ahead.’ Dale Garland was Channel Islands’ man of the match, winning the 400m hurdles, the 110m hurdles, the long jump and javelin.
He was also second in the pole vault.
‘But it wasn’t easy for him,’ said Winnie.
‘He had to pull out an equal PB in both the short hurdles and the pole vault to secure those points.
He’s also an athletics’ manager’s dream – he comes up to you and simply says: “”What would you like me to do?”” He’s a team man, and a very nice guy.
‘Lauren Thérin is the female equivalent.
She had a PB in the shot to finish second, she was second in the javelin and first in the discus.
She’s only 18.
Joanne McGarry set a PB of 9.57 min – the first time she’s been under 10 min – to win the 3,000m, and Lee Merrien won the 800m and 1,500m.
‘Stephen Prosser was second in the 100m and Kylie Robbilliard, who’s too young to compete in the high hurdles, finished second in the 100m sprint and third in the 200m.
‘Other young athletes like Gemma Dawkins and Jamie Stephenson have so much potential, this Channel Islands’ team can only get better and better.’ In fact the team is so good that other clubs have tried to ‘pinch’ at least three Channel Islands’ athletes – to no avail.
For there is so much potential, and so much ability within the Islands’s side that winning the Plate final should be only the start of something special.
The athletes know that; and are already looking forward to 2005.
‘I am very excited about the future of Channel Islands’ athletics,’ said Winnie, ‘and I’m looking forward to seeing the younger athletes come through in a year or two’s time.
The talent they have is something very, very special.’ Plate final: 1 Jersey, 231 pts; 2 Herts Phoenix, 227 pts; 3 Reading 184 and a half pts; 4 Southend 169 pts; 5 Exham and Ewell, 162 pts; 6 Exeter, 152 and a half pts; 7 Basingstoke and Mid-Hampshire, 102 points; 8 Telford, 82 pts.
