GUERNSEY’S Island Games competitors are hitting the yoga mats.

Multiple Island Games athletics and cycling medallist Caroline Wickham has started teaching yoga classes and they are proving to be a hit with a number of Sarnians who will be competing in Aland this summer.

Wickham, who is now a member of the Guernsey Island Games Association committee, explained the benefits of yoga for sports people.

‘The aim of the classes is to strengthen and heal old injuries, to give the body greater flexibility and strength and to learn good habits which will help avoid further injuries,’ she said.

‘Yoga will enhance your training and add a new dimension mentally and physically to whatever sport you are training for.’

The 48-year-old competed at nine Island Games.

She started out as an athlete before taking up cycling.

Along the way she combined the two in duathlon and at the age of 42 came third in the world in her age group.

A qualified PE teacher, she has a degree in movement studies and a MA in education. Three years ago she started to train to become a yoga teacher and became fully qualified at the end of last year.