Isle of Man increases medal tally to 27 in Guernsey

Rachael Franklin won gold and broke the Island Games record in the women's 1,500m

The Isle of Man has claimed five gold medals on day three of the Island Games in Guernsey.

Peter Allen dazzled in the pool, while Rachael Franklin held on to her 1,500m title in athletics.

Joe Harris triumphed in the men's javelin and the women's mountain bike criterium team were also victorious.

Other medals, including in archery, added 10 to the island's tally, putting them back in third place in the overall standings.

Peter Allen (far right) has won five medals at the Games so far

Allen's first gold medal on Tuesday came in the men's 100m butterfly event and was closely followed by another in the men's 200m freestyle.

The swimmer was also part of the men's 4x50m freestyle relay that delivered a silver medal for team Isle of Man, taking his total for the Guernsey Games to five at the halfway mark.

Peter Allen secured a haul of three medals in the pool on Tuesday, taking his tally at the 2023 Games to five

Defending champion Franklin led for most of the 1,500m race but in the third lap was overtaken by Cari Hughes of Ynys Môn.

She said, with 250m to go, she was "thinking she's got this", but at 150m heard her partner Alan Corlett, who won bronze on Monday, shout "you've got this" from the side lines

She went on to finish first running a time of 4 minutes 20.42 seconds, claiming a new Island Games record.

There was also success for fellow Manx athlete Aimee Christian, who won bronze in the women's 400m.

Rachael Franklin and Cari Hughes battled for first place in the women's 1,500m

For Harris, who competed in last year's Commonwealth Games, it was his second round throw of 68.95m in the men's javelin that saw him beat the pack.

He overcame a shoulder injury he has struggled with for the last year to deliver a season's best at Footes Lane.

Joe Harris won his first gold at the Island Games on Tuesday

The atmosphere in the stadium, packed with thousands of people, "definitely helped", Harris said.

"When the the claps get going, it really gees you up," Harris said.

"My family are all pretty sporty, and have won Games medals in Tennis and Golf, so now I've got the gold I'm pretty happy."

Rhys Moore and Aalin George claimed bronze for for the Isle of Man team

Elsewhere, the island's cyclists celebrated three medals on day three, with success for the women’s mountain bike criterium team, an individual bronze for Kirree Quayle and another third place for the men’s team.

In archery, Rhys Moore and Aalin George claimed bronze in the compound mixed pairs event, with the duo just missing out on competing in the gold and silver head-to-head match by one point.