GUERNSEY Island Games team manager Roy Martel has left his important managerial role on a high. He believes the Guernsey medals haul of 75 in Rhodes was a great achievement - especially considering many factors aside from the soaring heat.
‘A number of sports have taken competitors to build them for future Games. Swimming have taken a number of young people who in two years’ time will be the next Gail Strobridge,’ he predicted.
‘We have a pretty good gold and other medals tally given the combination of sports and the transition of some of them.
‘As the general team manager I was extremely proud of them,’ he said.
Denise Fawcett, chairwoman of the Guernsey Island Games Association, said some of the competitors told her it was the best one ever.
‘Basketball was very well run and their venues were superb. The contrast was where they had the inexperience and they struggled with the sports that were less well-known to them,’ she said.
Deputy Francis Quin was an immense help to the shooters in his organisational role.
‘When it started it looked like it could have been a disaster organising the range.
‘They went from a mountain range and took the top off the mountain to form a shooting range in 24 weeks, which was excellent,’ he said.
‘They [the Greeks] are very laid back and say if it won’t get done today it will be done tomorrow.
‘If you ask a Greek what day it is, they will say ”does it matter?’ The sun has come up and it will go down tomorrow.’
‘It was very, very friendly and they were smashing hosts but don’t have any sense of urgency. It’s not a criticism, it’s just the way they are,’ said Quin.
‘Once we got used to that, the competitors and organisers took things by the scruff of the neck and got things done.
‘We had a 16-year-old and an 83-year-old who won medals in our sport.’
Swimming coach Alison Frankland, who has been to eight Island Games, said: ‘It’s been a great competition.
‘We had a few teething problems with organisation but that was overcome. The first obstacle we had to get over was the size of the pool, which was shorter at one end than the other.’
‘Whereas two years ago Guernsey and Jersey won all the medals, they have been spread about this time,’ she said.
‘It’s been very pleasant. We had nice accommodation and weather and the problems we have had have been overcome and it’s all due to the organisation by Denise Fawcett and Roy Martel and their team who have done a brilliant job.’
Culture and Leisure inister Peter Sirett believed some of the problem with Rhodes was that when the Island Games were last staged in Guernsey and Jersey they were taken to new much higher levels.
‘I don’t think people realise how professional the team was [in Guernsey in 2003] and the results were plain to see.
‘What we are seeing now is the norm and I don’t see anything wrong with that,’ he said.
‘I don’t think Rhodes can be concerned at what they did - I don’t think there are any negatives from it.’
Guernsey came third in the medals table this time after their table-topping exploits in the previous two Games.
‘There have been some superb performances and people should not dwell too much on the medal tallies. It’s about doing their best and a lot of people got PBs and you can’t do any more,’ said Deputy Sirett.
‘They have all acquitted themselves well and I don’t think we can ask any more of them.
‘The Alice Loveridge story is a lovely one.’
He believes Guernsey’s new golden girl, Loveridge, the youngest ever Island Games gold medallist and possible 2012 Olympics table tennis hopeful, is destined for great things.
‘She has an absolutely fantastic career ahead of her.’
Loading ...
Share this article:
What are these?