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THE men's team from Basingstoke and Mid-Hants Athletic Club will be competing against the likes of Dwain Chambers after winning a second successive promotion in the British Athletics League.

The Down Grange team won division three a year ago and will go up again as division two champions.

They will now rank among the top 16 men's teams in the country and will be taking on Chambers' Belgrave Harriers in division one next summer.

Saturday's victory at Derby in the final of four division two matches adds weight to The Gazette's Let's Get The Club On Track campaign.

The club are currently unable to hold a home meeting in the British League because the Down Grange track doesn't have eight lanes all the way round.

Basingstoke and Mid-Hants, in their diamond jubilee year, are trying to raise the minimum £300,000 needed to upgrade the club's facilities, including the track.

Already the campaign - launched last September - has the support of Basingstoke MP Maria Miller and Councillor Keith Chapman, the borough council's Cabinet member for sport and leisure.

When told about the latest men's team promotion, Cllr Chapman said: "That's wonderful news and makes even more compelling the case for Down Grange improvements."

The council is awaiting a report from consultants, expected in October or November, on how the proposed track upgrade can fit into a more community-based development of the Down Grange sports facilities.

"I'm looking for a package I can sell to the council," said Cllr Chapman.

As happened 12 months ago, the men's team will jump a division along with second-place finishers Notts AC.

Next season, they will compete against Belgrave Harriers and Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow - the two clubs relegated from the premier division - along with Kent, Gateshead, City of Liverpool and Border Harriers.

Men's team manager Ian Byett said: "Who would have thought a few years ago that we would be pitting our talent against the likes of Belgrave next year?

"Next season, Basingstoke could be entertaining the likes of Dwain Chambers - but not at Down Grange as the campaign to get an extra two lanes installed goes on."

2:25pm Sunday 24th August 2008

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