Jersey sets new national record on the track

Tuesday 10 April 2018

The Gold Coast has been the setting for a number of Jersey triumphs, with another now made in the athletics event as Jersey’s Sam Dawkins sets a new national record in the 200m sprint.

Dawkins finished in a time of 21:91 in the men’s 200m qualifying round, setting a new island record and a personal best in his first ever Commonwealth Games. Although it sadly wasn’t enough to send him through to the final, it was an impressive finish for the 24-year-old whose juggled training with working a full-time job and studying an open-university degree to get to the Gold Coast.

@Sam93Dawkins unfortunately fails to make it out of his heat, finishing in 21.91, but comes away with a new PB and National Record! Great work, Sam! #GC2018Athletics

— British Athletics (@BritAthletics) April 10, 2018

Jersey’s final athlete to be named in the island team made his Commonwealth debut in the 800m event. Elliot Dorey finished 8^th with a season best time of 1:52.60. He will next compete in the men’s 1500m on Friday. 

#SHmedia #athletics

impressive performance for @dorey_elliott today in the 800m - seasons best in what is essentially a warm up for his main event the 1500m#GC2018 #SHARETHEDREAM #TeamJersey pic.twitter.com/XmqK0rKAuw

— SportsHUB (@SportsHub2012) April 10, 2018

Another special moment for Jersey in the Commonwealth Games today, was when Dan Halksworth became the first athlete to ever compete in three different sports in three different games when he took his place in the time-trial event, after competing in swimming in 2006 and the triathlon in 2014. The historic moment sadly wasn't met with a medal but Halksworth and fellow Jersey cyclist Jack Rebours did finish in the top half of the scoreboard. They clocked a time of 54:12:48 and 53:45:80 putting Halksworth in 26th place with Rebours three places in front of him.

The red and white Jersey flag was also being flown in the women's time-trial race as Island Games gold medalist Kim Ashton competed in her final major games. Ashton finished in 15th place with a time of 41:01:12 with Jersey's Helen Ralston in 18th.

Pictured: Dan Halksworth made history when he competed in the Time-Trial event, becoming the first athlete to ever compete in the Commonwealth Games three times in three different sports. (Nick Hooper)

It seems the 2018 Gold Coast won't repeat the success that were experienced by the island's bowls team in the 2014 Glasgow games when Jersey made it through the to bronze medal play-off. Malcolm De Sousa is having a nail-biting competition in the singles event after reaching the Quarter Finals in the triples campaign. He has narrowly lost two games 20-21 to both Northern Ireland’s Gary Kelly and Canada’s Ryan Bester. De Sousa did have a clear victory against Kenneth McGreal from the Isle of Man with a win of 8-21 putting him third in his qualifying group.  

The women’s triple team has won their first match of the Commonwealth Games beating Namibia 15-12. But it’s not enough to put Doreen Moon, Joan Renouf and Eileen Vowden to the top of their group after losing their first two matches 7-18 against Wales and 12-26 to Zambia.

Women’s pair Rachel MacDonald and Chrissie Grimes have had a run of defeats after losing 6-23 to South Africa, 12-24 to India and 14-22 to Wales putting them bottom of their group. They are still to face Northern Ireland in their final group stage game but even a win would not give them enough points to go through to the final. 

Pictured: Jersey's mixed doubles lost their match 0-2 to Singapore. (CWAJ)

In Badminton, Jersey’s duo Matthew Bignell and Emily Temple-Redshaw have been knocked out of the mixed doubles event after losing 0-2 to Singapore. Temple-Redshaw also lost her singles match 0-2 to Hasini Ambalangodage from Sri Lanka. Both Jersey players will compete in the men’s and women’s doubles with team mates Alexander Hutchings – who also lost his singles match - and Elise Dixon.

Pictured: Nikki Holmes finished 13th in the Women's 25m Pistol qualifying round. (CWAJ)

There’s no bronze, silver or gold in sight for the shooters who are trying to break the island’s 28-year drought, after the last medals were won for Jersey in the 1990 fullbore event. Barry Le Cheminant finished 10^th place with team mate David Le Quesne in the second day of the Queen’s Prize Pairs event. Both will now compete in the individual fullbore competition.

Elsewhere in shooting, Nikki Holmes finished 13^th in the 25m Pistol qualifying round, while  Cameron Pirouet and Andrew Chapman finished 16^th and 22^nd respectively in the 50m Prone Rifle event.