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First impressions

First impressions

Sunday 09 July 2023

First impressions

Sunday 09 July 2023


Visitors have given Guernsey a glowing review based on first impressions at the start of Island Games week.

The 24 competing islands were all represented at the Opening Ceremony on Saturday evening with the mixing of the water, before a parade along the Quay.

Each of the visiting islands were then taken back to their hotels.

Express caught up with some of the athletes, supporters and volunteers from the other islands before they boarded their coaches.

Froya basketball island games opening ceremony

Ernesto Henriques - Faroe Islands, basketball

"The atmosphere today is amazing so I hope it's going to be a good atmosphere at our game (on Sunday)," said Faroese basketball Ernesto.

"It's my first games so I'm very excited and I hope we can do well and represent our country."

island games Gotland clay pigeon shooting

Jonny Lindstedt - Gotland, shooting

"I've trained since the last Games but we only came (to Guernsey) this afternoon so we couldn't train today. 

"It's nice here. We had the Games in in Gotland in 2017 and I competed then. It's going to be good here too." 

gozo table tennis island games

Mario Salina - Gozo, table tennis

For Gozo, it is their competitors first Island Games.

"We only arrived earlier today and we came here (to the opening ceremony), but it's a very nice atmosphere. It's impressive, it's exciting and we've been looking forward to this," said Mario Salina, a table tennis player. "Normally Malta takes priority but we're Gozo," he said proudly.

"It's our first time so I hope I can compete with the opposition."

Isle of Man football island games

Holly Sumner and Tia Lisy - Isle of Man, football

"I think we'd say we're pretty confident," said Holly. "We've done pretty well in previous years so I would say we are one of the favourites to do well. We haven't had too many (training matches) - we've had a few friendlies, but we think we'll do well anyway."

Tia is even more confident. "We're going for gold!" she said. 

Both Holly and Tia have enjoyed their time in Guernsey so far.

"It's a lot like the Isle of Man but smaller, the roads are tiny and I don't know how they're not one way!" said Holly. 

"There's beautiful views - so it's similar to the Isle of Man in the views. It's very similar in a lot of ways."

Isle of Wight football island games

Tom - Isle of Wight, football manager 

"It's my first trip to Guernsey and my third Games," said Tom from the Isle of Wight.

"I think it's beautiful. St Peter Port is absolutely beautiful and we've got a lovely hotel. 

"I played in the Isle of Wight as hosts when we won gold medal and I was a player in 2015 in Jersey and now I'm manager so I'm really pleased to be here."

Having played in a host Games, Tom understands the excitement but also the pressure the Guernsey team will be facing this week. 

"It's pressure because there's a lot of people at your matches especially football because it's such a popular sport. It's different because you stay at home and not a hotel with your team mates. 

"We're playing Aland, Western Isles and then Guernsey. We've had three friendlies so hopefully we can give them all a good game."

jersey swimming island games

Andy - Jersey, swimming manager

"The crowd on the waterfront there was amazing, the feeling of walking through and everyone shouting and screaming...it's been really good, a really good evening," said Jersey swimming manager Andy.

"This is my 4th games as a manager," he said. "Our guys are ready, we're up for it. We know what the Guernsey guys can do - it's their home games and they'll be wanting to win medals. So we're going to swim as fast as we can. if that gives us a medal then that's an added bonus but we can't control what others do so we'll take it as it comes

"It's great to see people that we met at past games. Everyone recognises each other and it's nice to see people again."

hitra golf island games

Jan Pettersen - Hitra, golf

"There's so many good players here. I'm happy to play golf here and meet new friends," said Jan Pettersen of team Hitra.

"It's good to meet people in Guernsey and have fun here."

ynys mon football island games

Osian Jones (left) - Ynys Mon, football

"It's pretty good here, but the only problem is the transport here is terrible - getting around is hard," laughed Osian Jones and his Ynys Mon football teammates. 

"We've got a good hotel but we're way out. We need taxis. We arrived last night but we like it.

"We're very confident - we're going for gold!"

Ynys Mon won the gold medal at the 2019 football tournament which they hosted as there wasn't a football competition in the Gibraltar Games that year.

They beat Guernsey in the final.

"Some of our guys have played in previous games - we won gold in 2019 so we want to defend that. They'll be coming for revenge but it's ours!"

st helena media island games

John - St Helena, media reporter 

"We don't have commercial TV (in St Helena) - it's all piped in from South Africa so we were able today to stream the (opening ceremony) back to St Helena. 

"We teamed up with Sure Guernsey and Sure St Helena which is our provider to send the Facebook live feed into our local tv network to enable our local people at home in their chairs to view the Games.

"Not only is it a great event but it's also a challenge to get here. These guys have travelled all the way and they left last Saturday. We have one flight per week and if they had missed that flight today would not have been possible.

"I can't explain the great hospitality - I came here, I didn't know what to expect. I've be been to lots of these events but from the time we got here to today it's been amazing. I've also done a lot of communicating to try and make this all happen and everytime I hit send on an email the types of replies I've got have been unbelievable."

island games medical volunteers uclan

UCLAN - medical volunteers 

"We're from Preston UCLAN university to do the medical, first aid, massage, and anything else that's needed," said these volunteers.

"We're all here volunteering. We're students, we're all doing sports therapy and physiotherapy. We're just happy to be here and pleased to help."

island games Greenland politicians 

Greenland

"We're politicians from Greenland. We're here to support our island and we're really pleased to be here."

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