'In the hurt locker from first 100m' - Jersey triathletes battle for Games spots

Ollie Turner and Jade Wright were the first man and woman home as Jersey's triathletes battled for Guernsey 2021 places in a full-distance Island Games qualifier at St Catherine's.

Turner, who won bronze in Gibraltar in 2019, headed up the 35-strong starting field, finishing in one hour, 54 minutes, 56 seconds - more than five minutes clear of nearest rival Richard Tanguy.

Wright, meanwhile, crossed the line in two hours, fifteen minutes, 23 seconds to seal top spot among the women, ahead of former Games gold medallist Jo Gorrod.

"I got in the hurt locker from pretty much the first 100m into the water", said pro Turner.

"Then it was just a case of holding on and watching where the other guys are after the dead turns and just trying to gauge how much time I had".

• Watch: Ollie Turner

Jersey's selectors will have 10 spots to allocate for next year's Games in Guernsey, which are still scheduled to go ahead in July.

Jack Kennedy, Nick Thorne, and Charlie Bird completed the men's top five, with Mel Messervey, Claire Forbes, and Sam Lee the next three women home.

"I wanted to come in the top five so that I could go to the Island Games so coming first was really, really exciting", Wright told ITV News.

"It was quite a shock to the system but overall very exciting, and just great to race with the island".

The race, which was the first and only Olympic distance event to be held in Jersey this season, was run under Covid conditions, with the athletes released in three waves.

• Watch: Jade Wright

Guernsey Triathlon Club has already held its Island Games qualifier, where Ben Creasey and Amy Critchlow led the local charge behind visiting Isle of Man athlete - and 2019 silver medallist - Will Draper.

The 2021 Games will feature an Olympic distance race at Rocquaine Bay and, for the first time, a sprint relay event, in St Peter Port.