Guernsey 2023 Island Games 'friendly and helpful'

After a week of sport we asked some of those involved in the 2023 Island Games for their thoughts.

Guernsey became the first island to host the event three times when it held the 19th games.

More than 2,000 competitors competed as more than 1,200 volunteers supported the event.

Gotland swimmer Robin Cederquist was one of 67 athletes from Sweden's largest island.

He said: "The relay, that was the best time I did on my 50 free.

"It's been amazing actually, the Channel Islands, they are pretty good at lifting everyone up."

Guernsey Island Games 2023 volunteer Sarah Colley said the best part had been "getting to meet lots of spectators from different countries and finding out more about them and some of the athletes".

"Just being involved in the general buzz. It's been such a good week," she said.

The Island Games are known as the Friendly Games.

Lesley Hutchison, from the Shetland Island Games Association, said everyone had been "friendly and helpful".

She said: "At the hotel we have been staying at, they have been so lovely and bending over backwards to make sure we are ready."

Morgan Revell, who was representing Ynys Mon in the basketball, played against Saaremaa, Faroe Islands and the Isle of Wight.

He said of the best part of the games was "working as a team and playing at a higher level than what we are used to and being able to compete at that level".

Revell added: "Being in Guernsey and playing in the Island Games is a big opportunity and a bit of fun."

Volunteer Emma Beardsell said: "I think my highlight has been the amount of school children who have come down to watch the games.

"They've just turned up in their masses to come and watch the games, and they've been so enthusiastic.

"They've gotten really into collecting the pin badges of the various islands and it's just been fabulous to see."

Jack Santos competed in the men's 400m and 800m Freestyle for Gibraltar.

He said: "This week it's been very good, I've loved the pool, I've loved all the competitions. I have loved supporting my team mates as well as doing my races."

St Helena swimmer Vivienne Ponsford said her main memory was "the first race because the first race is always the most scary one for me".

She said: "So I just really enjoyed going in for the first race and it got easier after that."

Despite being her island's only female swimmer she was still able to swim in the relay: "I got to join Falklands team for their relay which was really nice, there's three girls for them and I'm the only girl in our whole team. So I got to join their team for the relay, but it wasn't official but it was still really fun."

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