Commonwealth Games: Manager 'proud' of Isle of Man team's performance

Many of the team arrived back on the island on Tuesday

The Isle of Man's general team manager says he's "proud" of the athletes' performances at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

While the team did not secure any medals, several Manx records were broken and many personal bests beaten.

Graeme Hatcher said the performances showed the island was "not there to make up the numbers anymore".

"Right across the board I couldn't be more proud of all the athletes," he added.

Hatcher said the event was "a little bit overwhelming for everybody" but showed the strength of those competing.

"I think it was a difficult period of time, with Covid in the run-up to the Games it was always 'is it going to be on or not?'

"And then to see the athletes have got through that and then go toe-to-toe with the best athletes in the world and be incredibly proud to represent the team… I'm sure the island is as proud as I am of the athletes."

Notably, the island's swimmers smashed several Manx records in their events in Birmingham, but it was in the cycling that the strongest medal hopes lay, with Mark Cavendish and Ben Swift competing.

Reflecting on the event, Hatcher said: "By a bit of luck the other way there could have been a couple of medals coming home.

"I think there were some incredible athletes there and I think, if things had gone differently on the day, we'd have been there.

"We're there to compete now, we're not there to make up the numbers, and that's a great standing we are now on the island."

Tara Donnelly said it was an honour to represent the Isle of Man

Tara Donnelly, who was crowned Isle of Man Sportswoman of the Year in March, was one of the 34 athletes competing under the Manx flag at the Games.

The 23-year-old progressed to the artistic gymnastics all-around final, finishing 13th overall.

Looking back at her time at the Games, she said it was "always an honour" to represent the island.

She said: "I always feel really lucky to put on those three legs on my leotard and just to go out and represent the island well.

"Obviously representing the Isle of Man on the bigger stage is always an honour, and I feel like even though we're a small island we've got quite a big impact on the sporting world."

Jade Burden said watching the closing ceremony back made her emotional

Jade Burden became the first woman to compete in boxing for the island when she took to the ring.

Although beaten in the quarter finals of the lightweight class, she said the whole experience had "been great".

"The results don't define us, what we need to celebrate is the hard work that everyone's done to achieve to get into the Games," she said.

"And I think the relationships that we've made and the new friendships, that's a lot to take away from this as well.

"I can look back and be proud of what we've done."

After returning home, the 31-year-old said she watched Monday's closing ceremony back because "we couldn't really hear much or see what was going on" in the Alexander Stadium at the time.

"It was making me emotional just knowing that I was part of that," she added.