Isle of Man flies flag at Island Games opening
It has been 20 years since Guernsey last hosted the games in 2003
At a glance
All 194 athletes representing the Isle of Man took part in the Island Games opening ceremony in Guernsey
Manx footballer Eleanor Gawne, who is competing in her 10th games, led the island out as flagbearer
The streets of St Peter Port's seafront were packed with well wishers
Sporting action gets underway on Sunday
- Published
The Isle of Man team has flown its national flag at the opening ceremony of the Island Games in Guernsey.
Crowds lined the streets of St Peter Port's seafront to welcome thousands of athletes and officials who have travelled for the event which was delayed by two years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Footballer Eleanor Gawne led the Isle of Man out as flagbearer marking her 10th appearance in the competition.
She said she was "very proud" to continue to represent her home.
Manx team flies flag at opening ceremony
As teams carried their home island flags through St Peter Port, they were joined by cheerleaders, bagpipers, a samba band and the Games mascot Jet the puffin, who waved from a trailer pulled by a vintage tractor.
Footballer and flagbearer Eleanor Gawne is competing for the 10th time at the Games
The opening also involved a traditional water ceremony, where water brought from each island is mixed together, which is the Island Games’ equivalent of the lighting of the Olympic flame.
More than 2,000 athletes from 24 islands from around the world are set to compete, with the Isle of Man participating in 13 of the 14 sports.
The flags of each nation were on display
It marks the third time Guernsey has hosted the Games.
The first time was in 1987 when the island followed in the Isle of Man's footsteps to host the second ever Island Games.
The second largest Channel Island then staged the competition in 2003, when a young Mark Cavendish snatched cycling criterium gold from Jersey's Sam Firby after he celebrated too early on the line.
Thousands of people turned out to welcome the Island Games teams
The Manx team were runners-up in the last competition in Gibraltar in 2019, finishing second in the overall standings behind Jersey with a medal haul of 29 golds, 22 silvers and 17 bronze.
Sunday marks the first day of competition, which runs until 14 July, with events including the triathlon and the women's 10,000m final taking place.
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