THE loss of former England international Ian Sullivan has dealt a severe blow to Guernsey’s medal hopes in Aland.

The badminton squad, from left – Anika Johnson, Rachel Legg, Kathy Stuart, Sue Naftel, Renee Stuart, Gayle Lloyd, James Domaille, Kiara Green, Danny Penney and Quentin Petit. (Picture by Andrew Le Poidevin, 0792009)

Team manager Kathy Stuart reported this week that left-hander Sullivan has sustained a triangular sepoid cartilage tear to his left wrist, which requires an MRI scan followed by keyhole surgery to correct the problem.

‘It is a massive blow to the team and to its medal chances and we shall also lose the benefit of his vast international experience in terms of helping to guide and coach the team while we are in Aland,’ Stuart said.

Danny Penney has been called up to replace Sullivan.

‘Danny is 22 and has had a fantastic season. He has been training with the team since Easter and is as well prepared as they are,’ added the manager.

However, despite the loss of their star import and the absence of players such as Paul Le Tocq and Elena Johnson, Stuart’s ultimate ambitions have not changed.

‘Our aim in Aland is to retain our bronze medal in the team event which we won in Shetland four years ago [badminton was not part of the Rhodes Games]’.

‘Realistically, this will be made more difficult with the loss of Ian. However, Kevin Le Moigne has been playing very well all season and Quentin Petit has previous Games experience, so a bronze is not outside our capabilities,’ she said.

‘We shall be asking Gayle Lloyd to take a lot of responsibility in her first Games, but she has trained very hard over these last few months and hopefully that will pay off.

‘In the individual events our aim is to bring home two medals from the five events.’

Judging by the training regime the squad have been going through, no stone has been left unturned in the hunt for medals.

‘Preparations have gone well, especially considering that we have had Kiara Green and Jake Mann away at uni. Kiara has been back now since the beginning of June and Jake flew back at his own expense during May to train with the team,’ Stuart said.

‘All the team members, with the exception of Kiara, have been involved in playing at county level through the 2008/09 season.

‘We then started our intensive training after Easter. We have been training four times a week. One session geared to singles, one to doubles, a “grunt” session (physical badminton orientated shadow work, foot work etc.) and a games session.

‘Several of the team have also been attending yoga sessions on a weekly basis as well, although that session is not compulsory.’

Stuart hopes that Guernsey’s strength in the women’s game will help their cause in the fight for a team medal.

She expects Greenland, Faroes and Gotland to have strong men’s teams while the Isle of Man reportedly have a player who claimed bronze at the European Junior Championships.

The Sarnian manager also expects old rivals Jersey to be among the contenders.

‘Jersey also have some of their “big guns” missing, but always rise to the occasion and, in my opinion, in Kim Ashton have one of the best ladies of the tournament,’ said Stuart.

‘We are hoping that we have enough strength in our ladies to help negate any men-only strength teams – I think a lot of the team events may go to the wire and hinge on the mixed.’

Guernsey squad:
Men: James Domaille, Kevin Le Moigne, Jake Mann, Quentin Petit, Danny
Penney.
Women: Kiara Green, Anika Johnson, Rachel Legg, Gayle Lloyd, Renee Stuart.

Schedule
Sunday 28 June
10am start (EEST): Team competition
Monday 29 June
9am start: Team competition finals
Tuesday 30 June
Free
Wednesday 1 July
9am: Singles – including quarter-finals
Thursday 2 July
9am: Doubles – including semi-finals
Friday 3 July
9am: Mixed doubles – including
semi-finals
Saturday 4 July
9am start: Semi-finals singles followed by finals singles, doubles and mixed doubles.