JAMIE Oldham looks like he has been awarded his silver medal after coming second in the 200 metres.
Controversy shrouded the athletics track at Footes Lane after a technical issue with the athletes’ timing, leaving organisers embarrassed, apologetic and frantically looking for a consensus.
The race was won with ease by the Faroes’ Jonas Isaksen, with Oldham just edging ahead of the experienced Gibraltarian Jessy Franco to take second.
It had been decided that the finish line would be moved to the opposite side of the track from the grandstand to make the most of the wind and improve timings for the athletes. However, that backfired when the technical problem failed to record the times or provide a photo finish.
Delegates from some islands thought the race should be re-run, especially the Faroes as Isaksen was hoping for a World Championship qualifying time. However, others insisted that it was unfair for the athletes to run again and that the placings should be accepted. To avoid a null and void altogether, it appears that the latter option might have been agreed with the medals awarded to the top three sprinters on the Games website but without times allocated.
‘I’m feeling pretty happy myself,’ said Oldham immediately after the race. ‘It was a very windy race. I nearly fell over because of it but I really just stuck with my form. I had to keep on thinking about high knees and I wanted to stick with a good job.’
