Backing ambition: reflecting on Praxis’ long-term support for Alastair Chalmers

Over the past eight years at Praxis, Tracey O’Neill, Senior Manager, Communications, has seen first-hand the impact of long-term partnerships rooted in shared values, community connection and belief in individual potential. In this article, she looks back on Praxis’ enduring support for Guernsey Olympian, Alastair Chalmers.

Of all the partnerships I have worked on during more than two decades in marketing and communications, Praxis’ sponsorship of 400m hurdler Alastair ('Ala') is one of the most personally rewarding.

Praxis first began supporting Ala in 2018, shortly after I joined the firm, he was 18 and still studying and training on the island. At the time, he was already an exceptional local athlete with clear potential. Eight years later, the now Cardiff-based athlete is an Olympian, Commonwealth medallist and six-time British 400m hurdles champion - and the relationship remains the longest individual sponsorship I have been involved in.

His latest British title, secured in Birmingham in June with a comfortable winning time of 49.05 seconds, is another reminder of how far he has come and why sustained support matters in elite sport. 

More than a sponsorship  

It would be easy to describe the partnership in purely practical terms. Since 2018, Praxis has provided financial backing to help cover essentials such as kit, training, medical care, competition fees and travel costs. Those are the visible parts of sponsorship, but they tell only part of the story.

For an athlete competing at international level, consistency of support can be just as important as the amount of support itself. It helps with planning, preparation and recovery. It makes warm-weather training possible. It eases some of the pressure that comes with travelling, competing and performing against the best in the world.

That is what has made this partnership so meaningful from my perspective. It has never been about one race, one result or one moment of visibility. It has been about staying alongside someone through the full journey. 

From Guernsey promise to the global stage 

Ala’s career has given the island - and Praxis - many reasons to be proud. In Birmingham in 2022, he made history as the first Guernsey track and field athlete to win a Commonwealth Games medal, taking bronze in the 400m hurdles. In 2024, he represented Team GB at the Paris Olympic Games, reaching the semi-finals in the same event.

His success has not happened overnight. It has been built through years of discipline, resilience, travel, training blocks, injury management, setbacks and breakthroughs. From a small island to some of the biggest stages in world athletics, Ala’s progression has been remarkable to watch.

His latest British title came during a particularly significant year. After the intensity of the Olympics, 2026 has brought another busy summer of competition in Europe and the UK, with Birmingham followed by the London Diamond League last Saturday and the Glasgow ‘Commies’ between 23 July-2 August, with Ala's opening heat on Monday 27th. 

Our values in action 

If I were asked to describe the kind of individual a business hopes to support through sponsorship, Ala would be very close to the ideal. Not because he wins medals - although he does - but because of the way he approaches his sport, his community and the people around him.

He inspires through his ambition and through the example he sets for young athletes in Guernsey. He listens to coaches, family, advisers and supporters - because elite performance is never achieved alone. He trusts the process, even when progress is incremental or setbacks are part of the season. And he shares those moments with the team, family, island and sponsors who have been part of the journey demonstrating how success is the result of effective collaboration.

For Praxis, those qualities align perfectly with the values we live by as a business: to inspire, to listen, to trust and to succeed together. In Ala’s case, those values are not abstract words; they are visible in the way he trains, competes and represents Guernsey on the international stage.

Praxis has operated in Guernsey since 1983 and our support for Ala sits within a much wider commitment to the island. From backing local rugby through our sponsorship of Guernsey Raiders, to providing milk for primary-age schoolchildren and creating opportunities for young people through initiatives such as our early careers programme PraxisFirst, we have always believed that supporting a community means investing in its people, its potential and its future.

In that context, Ala’s journey feels especially meaningful. For an island that takes enormous pride in its athletes, his progression is a reminder that global ambition can start locally, and that backing talent early makes a real difference over time. 

A shared source of pride 

Taking an opportunity to be at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium last month to watch Ala race live was not to be missed, even if it was being staged during the heatwave resulting in more than a little regret that I hadn’t booked my seat in the covered part of the stadium.

Having placed first in Saturday’s qualifying heat, Sunday’s final saw him ease over the line in first place, before an emotional and joyous celebration with his family, including fiancée Ellie, and newborn son Robert.

Trackside, I spoke to proud mum and first-time grandmother, Lesley who reflected on what Praxis’ long-term backing has meant to the family.

“The firm’s support over the years has been incredible. Without Praxis, Ala simply would not have been able to progress to this level,” she said.

That is a generous comment, and it is important to be clear: Ala’s success belongs first and foremost to him, his talent, his work ethic, his coaches and his family. But as sponsors, we are proud to have played a part in helping create the conditions that allow him to prepare, compete and continue to progress.

Praxis’ support has helped Ala train not only in the UK, but also through warm-weather training camps in locations including the US, Malta and Tenerife. Those opportunities can be crucial in pre-season preparation, particularly in an event as technical and demanding as the 400m hurdles. 

Looking ahead 

The months ahead are full ones for Ala, both on and off the track. After another British title and further international competition, he has the Commonwealth Games podium firmly in his sights. Away from athletics, he and Ellie are also preparing for their wedding.

For Praxis, continuing to support him is about more than celebrating medals. It is about backing ambition, staying the course and recognising the commitment required to compete at the very highest level.

Ala represents Guernsey with pride, and his achievements resonate well beyond the track. They inspire colleagues, young athletes, families and everyone who understands what it takes to turn potential into performance.

That is why this sponsorship continues to stand out to me. It has been a privilege to watch Ala’s journey develop from promising local athlete to Olympian and Commonwealth medallist, and to know that Praxis has been there for a meaningful part of it.

We are proud to keep backing him as his journey continues.