He is recalling the 400m hurdles final on 6 August 2022, when in front of near 18,000 spectators he made history by becoming the first track and field athlete from Guernsey to win a Commonwealth medal.

It was a breakthrough year on the senior circuit for the then 22-year-old as just days before Birmingham 2022 he made his World Championships debut for Great Britain, but whilst it was a proud moment for the track star, it almost ended his Commonwealth campaign.

“I came into the championships after the Worlds in Oregan (USA) with Covid and I was so ill I didn’t even know if I was going to be let into the village,” he reveals.

“So, with all that going on, to come back, make it into the final and then dipping to get a bronze medal was just a dream. It was the most special moment in my sporting career.”

Winning what was only Guernsey’s eighth medal in the history of the Commonwealth Games and the first in a sport other than shooting or bowls, he rates as even more significant than competing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

“I’ve got a tattoo on my body of it and I think so many people were inspired by that (medal),” says Chalmers.

“You had people like (four-time Olympic champion) Michael Johnson talking about it on the BBC, so they were all loving it and it’s just an incredible moment in my life.”

FEELING ‘AT HOME’ ON THE GLOBAL STAGE

The 25-year-old will head into his second senior World Championships, in Tokyo, with the experience of Paris 2024, as well as several Diamond League appearances to draw on.

Chalmers states those events have been crucial to building his confidence, admitting it can be “nerve wracking” lining up against the greats of the sport, like Olympic gold medallist Rai Benjamin and three-time World champion Karsten Warholm.

“This year I definitely feel I can go to the Worlds and stand on my own ground because I race against these guys every week nowadays and I’m not in the call room seeing Rai Benjamin or Karsten Warholm and thinking ‘whoa!’ I know I deserve to be here as well,” he says.

“It's really good getting to know them all as well as they're all really great guys, but when I'm on that start line, I'm locked in, and they're all the enemy, quite frankly.”

Chalmers set a new 400m hurdles personal best of 48.30 seconds, which is also the new Guernsey national record, earlier this season and is aiming to at least “make the final” in Tokyo as he builds towards Glasgow 2026.

‘THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES ARE SO IMPORTANT TO GUERNSEY’

Chalmers’ first experience of Commonwealth competition came in 2017, when he won gold at the Youth Games in the Bahamas, before he made his senior bow at Gold Coast 2018.

While he enjoyed those experiences, it was the success at Birmingham 2022 which arguably made him more aware of the wider impact the Commonwealth Games can have.

“Coming from such a small island, we definitely don't believe (in ourselves) as much and I think the Commonwealth Games gives young people, especially from our island, an opportunity to thrive on that big stage in front of thousands of people,” he says firmly.

“It gives them an amazing chance to run against some of the best athletes in the world, so I really push all the guys back home to work hard, because there’s a good chance they can get there too and as you know, once you’re in a final, anything can happen!”

‘GOLD IN GLASGOW’ HAS A NICE RING TO IT

The hurdler will be 26 come Games-time, arguably approaching his peak years and with that in mind, the Olympian has big plans.

“Glasgow is gonna be insane” says 2022 bronze medallist Chalmers, with a beaming smile. “I know for a fact is going to be incredible.

“Having the honour to run out in the Guernsey kit again in front of thousands of people will be just beautiful and I'm excited to be fit and firing on all fronts, so I can go out and get that gold for Guernsey, which just rhymes perfectly!

“I think if I win, I’d love a statue at the track in Guernsey, I’d be amazing.”

By Nick Hope, Glasgow 2026 content creator