A PLAN hatched after the 2001 Island Games in the Isle of Man bore tremendous fruit for Channel Islands athletics on Saturday.

It was from that meeting, between Jersey’s athletics development officer Andrew Winnie and several leading athletes, including star Sarnian performer Dale Garland, that the wheels were set in motion for Sportingbet Channel Islands AC to be formed and to eventually achieve regular competition at national level.

On Saturday, at Abingdon, both the men’s and women’s track and field teams achieved just that – the ladies winning a close qualifying match to secure promotion to Division IV of the UK Women’s League and the men coming second in their match to claim a place in the British Athletics League Division III.

Highest Athletes from Jersey and Guernsey, as CI teams, will now be competing at their highest ever level.

It was a happy Winnie, that left for a golfing holiday yesterday morning: ‘It’s been a long term target and I’m truly delighted we’ve made it.

‘It’s the end of six years’ hard work,’ said the CI team manager, adding ‘It really was an excellent performance from both squads.’ Both the teams enjoyed top performances from a number of athletes, including Guernsey’s big guns Garland and Lee Merrien who each won two events on the track.

Garland also helped the 4 x 100m team to victory in the sprint relay, and picked up more valuable points with a second in the triple jump, third in the javelin, and fourth as part of the 4 x 400m quartet.

Merrien won the 800m and the 1500m, and there were also wins for Jersey’s Jamie Stevenson in the shot and Jason Fox in the high jump.

The star turn in the women’s match was Jersey’s Lauren Therin, who despite carrying an injury comfortably won the discus, javelin and shot events.

Fellow Spartan athlete Sophie Twinam also picked up precious points in the B-events, winning both the sprint and 400m hurdles as well as the high jump.

The teams will now face a big step up in class next season, when they will be competing in their respective national leagues for the first time.