With his last throw of the day and the wind gusting across the Footes Lane stadium, James Bougourd neatly completed his target.

Six attempts all over 50m, the last his best at 53.03m an Island Games A-standard, was a satisfying achievement for someone whose training has been disrupted through the winter.

And he was not the only person with a smile on their face after this javelin competition at the second round of the Guernsey Athletics’ ActiveGsy Track & Field Series.

Ulrike Maisch, well known for her marathon running, decided while on holiday at Easter to give javelin a go for some fun having not thrown since she was younger.

In the relaxed, friendly and supportive environment among the throwers, she produced 30.74m in the fifth round to tick off an Island Games B-standard.

James readily admits he was not a fan of javelin at school: ‘it wouldn’t fly properly’.

But since taking it up in 2015 in time to qualify for the Jersey Island Games that year he has fallen in love with the sport.

‘There’s a big feeling of satisfaction when you see it fly properly and a long way,’ he said.

A combination of being busy renovating his house and access to the runway at the track being limited by work on the hammer cage has meant a far from perfect build up.

‘Today was the first time I’ve had a proper practice with a run up, so it took me a few rounds to get settled. But once I got there I was alright,’ he said.

‘I had it in my head that I didn’t want to throw anything less than 50m, and all of them were 50 or more, which is nice. That’s been a goal in previous years as well and there’s always been a competition where I’ve slipped just below that. That’s frustrating.’

Hitting the A-standard has lifted some of the weight ahead of the rest of the season.

James has been chasing the Island record which dates back to 1995 when James Menhenitt threw 60.92m.

It is a distance he believes is within his range, having thrown it before at a training camp in Loughborough before getting injured.

He was full of praise for Maisch’s performance.

‘We had a little conversation beforehand and the one that came out to get the B-standard for the women’s javelin was just like she’s been throwing javelin for years. It was really nice to watch.’

Elsewhere in the field events, Vicky Hancock led home the women’s triple jump thanks to her first round effort of 10.76m, meeting the A-standard in what is likely to be a hotly contested discipline.

Sofia Mella produced her best in the fourth round with 10.52, a B-standard, to take second with Holly Drake third with 10.03m. 

Sofia Mella in the triple jump

In the 100m, Abi Galpin was just outside her best, running 11.87s and pushing Ben Stevens [11,74s] all the way to the line in a slight headwind.

In the earlier heat, U17 Tilly Bedlow stopped the clock in 13s dead to record a new PB, and a B-standard.

Many of the younger athletes were in action over a range of different events as they chalked up series points if they beat their previous bests.

U13 Amelie Van Heerden set a new girls Island record in the 150m with 20.59s.

In the first of two 1500m races, Nix Petit comfortably broke the B-standard, coming home second with a new PB of 4:50.74. Thomas Merrien (U15) led home that race, also setting a new best of 4:39.92.