Commonwealth Games: Guernsey's Alastair Chalmers makes 400m hurdles final despite Covid

Alastair Chalmers is a three-time British champion over 400m hurdles

Guernsey 400m hurdler Alastair Chalmers qualified sixth-fastest for the Commonwealth Games final, despite only just recovering from Covid-19.

The reigning British champion, 22, was fourth in his heat in a time of 50.39 to qualify sixth overall.

But fellow Guernsey hurdler Peter Curtis was knocked out in the heats.

"I had Covid-19 about a week-and-a-half ago, so it's been hard, but I'm here and I'm just going to try my best," he told BBC Channel Islands.

Chalmers hopes to add to bowler Lucy Beere's silver medal - the first podium finish for Guernsey since 1994.

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"It's a shame because I wanted to come here fully fit and healthy, but stuff has got in the way," added the World Championship semi-finalist, whose time was a second-and-a-half off his personal best.

"But I'll give it my best shot and you never know what can happen if you're in that final.

"There's a couple of days to the final, it's going to be a really hard final, but anything can happen, so if I'm on the start line there's always a chance."

Peter Curtis was competing at his first Commonwealth Games

Curtis, 21, was fifth in his heat in a time of 52.57, almost a second off his personal best.

"It was a nice smooth run, but I don't think it was a quick run," Curtis told BBC Channel Islands."It was over a second off what I would have wanted, but it's an experience nonetheless."

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