A swim squad of youthful promise get together at last week’s official Games team farewell at St Pierre Park. (Picture by Andrew Le Poidevin, 0792004)

GONE are the days when Guernsey could expect a glut of golds in the Island Games pool.

The Sarnians still boast a strong line up of swimmers, even without the likes of Ian Powell and Tom Hollingsworth, but competition is fierce and the programme entry times show that medals are likely to be spread far and wide.

‘Obviously we would like to feature in the medal table but the competition is very strong this year,’ said Guernsey team manager Alison Frankland.

‘We have only one swimmer ranked in gold medal position and that is Robyn Le Friec, who has unfortunately been recovering from a twisted ankle for the last two months, which has curtailed her training somewhat. She has recovered now but whether her fitness levels are sufficient for her to pull off the gold medal I am not sure.

‘We hope to swim well in the relays. Our strength is in our experienced boys – Jonathon Le Noury, Jeremy Osborne, Ian Hubert, Ben Lowndes, Paul Adkins.

‘Not all can win medals and I will be looking for personal best times from team members. Some will be looking to achieve Commonwealth Games qualifying times.

‘The squad is looking good and looking forward to the challenge.’

The men certainly bring the experience thanks to past gold medallists such as Lowndes, Le Noury and Osborne.

Lowndes and Osborne rate highly in the defence of their titles at 100m individual medley and 100m freestyle respectively and Le Noury in the middle distance freestyle events.

However, among their opposition is quite a formidable foe in Pal Joensen of the Faroe Islands, who is the triple European junior champion over 400m, 800m and 1,500m freestyle.

He is ranked number one on entry times in no fewer than five of his events in Aland and second in most others.

An example of his quality comes in the longest of the distances, with his 1,500m time being 14min. 39.99sec. None of the other entrants are sub-16min.

Jersey’s Ian Black and Grant Halsall from the Isle of Man are also expected to be a strong medal contenders in several events.

Guernsey’s girls have plenty of potential, but in general cannot match the experience of the men.

‘We have several making their debut and are just 14 and 15,’ Frankland said of the girls.

‘The Parfit sisters have a big programme and could perhaps medal.’

The entry times of younger sister Lotte are particularly promising in the medley events while Le Friec is a contender in most butterfly distances depending on her fitness.

Whatever Guernsey’s chances of medals, though, it is a guarantee that Frankland and the other coaches will have their troops in the best possible shape.

‘Preparations are going well and the swimmers are now into their taper period,’ reported the team manager.

‘They have been training six days a week, twice a day plus land training and core stability.’

As for the opposition, Frankland expects certain names to feature prominently.

‘In the men the Faroe Islands are quite strong, with Pal Joensen featuring in gold medal position in several events [on entry times].

‘The IOM girls are also very strong, with Olivia Rawlinson featuring, as are the Jersey girls.

‘This does not deter us, however, and we will do our best for the island,’ she said. Absence of Powell and Hollingsworth and injury to Le Friec harms team’s gold medal prospects