Chalmers targets Olympic qualification in 2027
· Yahoo Sports
British 400m hurdles champion Alastair Chalmers said he wants secure Olympic qualification next year.
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The 26-year-old from Guernsey reached the semi-finals at the last Olympic Games in Paris in 2024 before falling 150m from the finish.
Chalmers - who won Commonwealth Games bronze for Guernsey in 2022 - reached the semi-finals of this year's European Championships, having finished sixth in the final of this summer's Commonwealth Games after hitting a hurdle.
"My main goal is the Olympic Games in 2028, we can actually qualify for the Olympics next year come August, so that's the goal to be in that shape and run the standard by then," Chalmers told BBC Radio Guernsey.
"We've got the European Team Championships and the World Championships in Beijing in September, which is very late, so I'm doing my pre-winter training right now because there's no rush - we've had a long year and it's going to be another long year.
"It's just about staying healthy, doing the right things and enjoying the process."
- Chalmers misses out on Commonwealth Games medal
- Guernsey's Chalmers out of European Championships
- New-born son inspired Chalmers to reclaim British title
Chalmers' goal is to make the final at the 2028 Olympic Games.
It will involve him having to bring down his personal best, which currently stands at 48.30 seconds set in the summer of 2025.
A personal best time would have seen him reach this year's European Championships final and take gold at the Commonwealth Games.
"Being in an Olympic final, I think that's definitely doable if I keep pushing on and can just tweak a few little things to come down to the 47's," he said.
"When you get in these finals anything can happen, we saw that in the Commonwealth Games back in 2022."
Alastair Chalmers last Olympic Games ended with him falling in the semi-finals [Reuters]Chalmers reclaimed the British 400m hurdles title this summer.
His sixth national crown in seven years came just days after his wife had given birth to the couple's first child.
He had targeted winning a gold medal for Guernsey at the Commonwealth Games, having won the island's first-ever track and field medal four years ago.
But a mistake midway through the final cost him his chance when he was among the medal contenders.
"That was going to be the highlight for me this year, getting a medal at the Commonwealth Games, and I was on track for that," he explained.
"I ran really well in the semi-final, but it was my fault I hit the hurdle and I take full blame and I need to be accountable for these things.
"These things happen, which is a shame really, I had great support in the crowd from all the Guernsey team coming down and I've just got to do better next time sadly.
"You've got a bounce back and move on. I'm not going to sit down and waste my life worrying about it, but it's definitely something for the future for me to work on.
"It's a real shame because I wanted to bring home another medal for Guernsey which didn't happen."