Swimmer is 21st to receive sporting honour

Tuesday 31 July 2018

Ian Powell has been inducted into Guernsey's Sporting Hall of Fame - after a swimming career which saw him representing his island on the international stage on a number of occasions.

Having started swimming at the age of three, Mr Powell went on to train with the Beau Sejour Swim School before competing with the Barracudas from age of 11.

He swam his way through the ranks and ended up representing Guernsey in five Island Games between 1999 and 2011, three Commonwealth Games between 2002 and 2010 and he came very close to qualifying for the Olympics.

As a young swimmer, Mr Powell was selected for the Great Britain World Class Performance Programme and he became British Short Course Champion in the 16 and under age group. Recognising his own need to train for competition in a 50 metre pool, Mr Powell relocated himself to the UK as a teenager where he became under 18 200m Backstroke National Champion and also represented Great Britain at the European Junior Championships in 2003.

Whilst competing at the Commonwealth Games, which included Manchester 2002, Melbourne 2006 and Delhi 2010, Mr Powell swam in two individual finals, which no other Guernsey swimmer has achieved to date. 

During the same timeframe, Mr Powell narrowly missed out on a place on the global stage after a stunning performance at the Olympic Trials in 2004, which saw him come 5th in the 200m backstroke. His disappointment at not making the Olympics would have been tempered by the news this swim had prompted the offer of a free scholarship to study and train at Florida State University where he spent six years.

In 2008, Mr Powell then achieved an even closer finish against an Olympic qualification time in 2008 where he finished 4^th in the 200m Butterfly.  During that same year he finished second at the American Short Course Championships and at the following summer World Championship Trials in 2009 he finished in 3^rd place in the 200m Butterfly and was world ranked for that event.

Having gone into retirement, Mr Powell returned to swimming in 2016 to complete in the American 50 yard Backstroke in the 30-34 years masters category when he was ranked 1st. 

Pictured: The Guernsey Sports Commission has chosen Ian Powell as the 21st athlete to be inducted into the Sporting Hall of Fame

Now, his position as one of Guernsey's greatest ever athletes has been cemented with the Guernsey Sports Commission recognising all of his achievements by inducting him into the Sporting Hall of Fame, which can be seen at Beau Sejour.

Other people recognised in the Hall of Fame include equestrian Carl Hester MBE and hockey player Mary Russell Vick OBE.

Pictured: Ian Powell has been inducted into the Guernsey Sporting Hall of Fame, with his image captured in graphic form at Beau Sejour along with a citation extolling his achievements