GUERNSEY’S archers and tennis players are set to go to the Delhi Commonwealth Games in 2010. The Commonwealth Games Association executive board recently decided to add the two sports to the Games programme. Archery and tennis join athletics, swimming, badminton, boxing, hockey, lawn bowls, netball, rugby sevens, squash and weightlifting.
The Bowmen of Guernsey and the island’s tennis team have both said that they are interested in entering.
The Guernsey tennis team captain, Chris Hickling, believes it’s a great opportunity for the best young local players - Rob West, Pat Ogier, Dom McLuskey and Heather Watson.
‘It’s great, although I don’t think I’ll be there, unfortunately I’m too old,’ said Hickling.
‘It’s really good news for the likes of Rob, Pat, Dom and Heather. There will certainly be a level we’ve got to achieve, probably based on international ranking, to be able to make it. But it’s good news for the youngsters.’
Although Hickling points to the qualification process for the Games potentially being stringent, he believes that Watson will not only qualify but has a good chance of being one of the top players. The 14-year-old is currently studying at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida.
Last summer Watson swept all before her to claim the under-14 British title.
‘Heather will definitely be there and she could have a good chance of taking a medal as well,’ he said.
‘The way she is playing means she will be a medal prospect. She’s the U14 national champion and in three years’ time she will be 16 to 17 years old and at the sort of age that if she is going to develop, she will definitely be a prospect.
‘And when you think about it, all the top tennis nations like America, Russia, Switzerland and the European countries aren’t in the Commonwealth Games.’
The island team manager, Rick Denton, agrees with his captain.
‘It’s going to be a pretty tough playing standard to enter, so it could only be Heather Watson who goes, but it’s exciting to be involved,’ he said.
‘But we don’t know what the standard might be. It might be based on international rankings, we’re not sure, but it will be something for our players to reach for.
‘As long as we can reach that playing standard, we’ll go, for sure. It’s exciting for us.’
Like the tennis players, the archers are up for the challenge.
‘We’re certainly excited about the possibility of competing in the Commonwealth Games and we’re starting to explore the opportunities,’ said the Bowmen of Guernsey president Dave Inglis.
‘The amount of time to go also gives us plenty of scope for getting to grips with the qualifying standards. We’ve organised and run a world-ranked tournament ourselves so we’re used to the standard of competition.
‘It’s now whether we can raise our standard to compete at that level. The challenge is there.’
Archery has been involved in every Island Games since the first in the Isle of Man in 1985. But is has not featured in the Commonwealth Games since Brisbane in 1982.
‘There’s no doubt about it, it’s been a long time since archery has been able to compete at a Commonwealth Games level, so we’re really up for it,’ said Inglis.
While tennis and archery have been celebrating their inclusion, snooker and billiards have not been so lucky. The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association and the International Billiards and Snooker Federation put a proposal to the CGA executive committee but ultimately they were unsuccessful.
They were turned down over concerns at the required levels of excellence in the sports throughout the Commonwealth, the marketability and the UK-centric nature of them both.
Guernsey snooker player John Skillett was disappointed by the news.
‘I must admit we would have had a lot of interest in it and with a bit of sponsorship, we would have got a good side to go,’ he said.
Article posted on 24th January, 2007 - 12.00am
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