The Guernsey team and supporters in the stand at the Pune Tennis Stadium. (Picture by Paul Guillou, 0657508)

Athletics team manager Alun Williams rattles out several familiar cliches as he reflects on Guernsey’s performances in Pune.

1. In defeat we find real winners

DESPITE the young age and inexperience of our team, no one should underestimate the desire for victory that motivates them.

We selected only the best and they are used to being big fish in a small pond, so the team managers were all concerned about how they might react to defeat.

Nic Thibeault and Garry Dodd were exemplary in the way they responded to theirs and set the standard for the rest of the team to follow.

Nic finished his competition on the Monday and Garry was also out by the Tuesday. Garry, in particular, was frustrated with his performance and we worried that they would sulk or become disruptive.

They were the exact opposite. Garry and Nic were desperately disappointed but after a few hours’ reflection they simply threw themselves into cheering on their teammates and particularly supporting their tennis and table tennis partners, Heather Watson and Alice Loveridge.