Chalmers prepared for 'last chance' to reach Paris
Alastair Chalmers ran a personal best in the semi-finals of the European Championships earlier this month
- Published
Alastair Chalmers said the UK Athletics Championships is his 'last chance' to make the qualifying standard for the Olympic Games.
The reigning British 400m hurdles champion was just 0.06 seconds off the 48.70 second standard at the European Championships in Rome earlier this month.
He has since missed out on the time at races in Finland and Switzerland.
"I think this will most likely be the last chance," Chalmers told BBC Radio Guernsey.
"Potentially at the London Diamond League next month, but that's a massive if and it depends on what happens this weekend, but most likely this is it.
"Going into it I'm in the best shape of my life, and always at these championships, like Rome, the British Championships last year, and the Commonwealth Games, I always rise to the occasion.
"I love these environments, it brings the best out of me, and to be on the start line with seven other really high-class athletes in Britain will really push me."
Chalmers has dominated the British 400m hurdles scene this decade - winning each national title since 2020.
He also won Guernsey's first-ever athletics medal at the Commonwealth Games when he won bronze in Birmingham two years ago.
The event is one of the most competitive in all of athletics with Karsten Warholm, Rai Benjamin and Alison dos Santos, who occupy the top three spots on the all-time list, all competing for medals in Paris this summer.
"This is by far the greatest generation of all time," Chalmers added.
"We've got world records being broken, standards have risen just to compete in competitions.
"I think if you asked people five years ago, if you would say the world record can be 45.9 no one would ever believe you.
"That's why it's it's difficult to be a part of, it's an absolute pleasure to run alongside the best in the world, but the standard's just through the roof."
He added: "I definitely feel like I am in that world-class bracket.
"I can run these times, I've shown I can, and compete against the best.
"But at the end of the day when you're on that start line, it comes down to not just your ability to run, but your mentality to get in that zone, execute a good race, and rise up to the occasion."