The Island Games wrap-up

Well that was fantastic, a great week of sport, competition and friendship ended Friday night at Bermuda’s National Stadium with the last Track finals and Closing Ceremony.

I first came across the Island Games 4 years ago, the summer after I moved here. Those games were held in Åland, a Swedish speaking Finnish archipelago in the Baltic Sea, and in a nice little co-incidence my 3-year old daughter was walking around the house this morning waving the flag of Åland, given to her by one of their athletes.

I have been lamenting all week that Bermudians had not been coming out for the events, not helped by a non-existent marketing campaign, and despite of both Bernews and the Royal Gazette providing an excellent service.

However, and deservedly so, the athletes from the 22 Island Nation got the reception their efforts deserved Friday night as the National Stadium was packed and excitable and every competitor was cheered to the rafters.

Bermuda collected another slew of medals although the Cayman’s pipped them in the Men’s 4x100m relay as did Jersey in the 4x400m but the ‘Onions’ grabbed gold in both the Women’s 4×100 and 4×400. There were obvious differences between the serious runners from the more populated islands and the fun runners, but they were all clapped and cheered nevertheless.

The Isle of Man topped the final Medals Tablewith 36 golds, 36 silvers and 25 bronze. Bermuda were 2nd (27, 18, 31), Jersey 3rd (23, 29, 28) and Cayman Islands 4th (20, 19, 7). For others Gotland, whose shooting team accounted for 20 of their 32 medals, the Shetland Islands, who had a couple of excellent female swimmer, Ynys Môn (Anglesey to you and me), who had a fantastic last night at the track and the collective Western Isles can all be happy with their medal collection.

Disappointingly for the Isle of Wight, who had 30 athletes here, they picked up just 3 silver medals, but I was honoured to see for myself Greenland collect their only only gold the other lunchtime in the Badminton Men’s Doubles in a thrilling final against Guernsey. Bror Madsen and wait for it…. his partner Taatsiannguaq Pedersen will not be buying a drink back at home in Greenland for a very long time!

On Wednesday I went with my daughter to the swimming, which was excellent, although stifling warm. I had a bit of a problem convincing my daughter that she wasn’t actually racing but she loved every minute clapping everything and standing to attention at every obscure national anthem. I have to admit it, that the previous Bermudian Government have done a great job with the Aquatics Centre.

On Wednesday we also caught it little bit of the Beach Volleyball and Football, which as a contest was very disappointing in both the Men and Women’s competition due to the lack of entries caused by the costs associated with transporting squads across the ocean.

Bermuda won the Football gold in both the Men’s and Women’s beating Greenland on both occasions, which frankly they should. Greenland incidentally are not a FIFA member, but after being intrigued by their 74-person team, and watching them celebrate the Badminton gold like they’d won the World Cup, I now have a real desire to go there. Call. Me. Weird.

On the way out of the National Sports Centre on Wednesday evening I got collared by the BBC, at least a pleasant young lady with a camera and microphone who purported to be from the BBC, to give an interview. Look out for me, I will be the bloke covered in sweat and ice-cream and trying to keep an eye on a hyper 3-year old.

Back to Friday’s final night of competition. After the Half-Marathon finish around the track, in which I saw a lot of runners collapse over the line due I have no doubt to the unrelenting humidity, there was a last round of medal ceremonies before the teams did a celebratory lap of honour, flags waving proudly in a party-like atmosphere.

Speeches ended with the Island Games flag being handed over to the next hosts Jersey. We were then treated to a rare Bermuda fireworks display (fireworks are illegal in Bermuda) and of course no party in Bermuda would be complete without the lionised Gombey’s.

Besides the indifference amongst the majority of the locals, and a marketing campaign that you had to search for, from what I witnessed the island’s organisation of the Games was terrific helped by hundreds of more-than-happy-to-help volunteers. Bermuda was witness a real festival of sport and community last week only possible because of the efforts of a couple of thousand dedicated and dignified athletes, many of whom had made a lot of sacrifices to be here.

A final food for thought for the Bermuda Governing Sports body. So often it’s their footballers and cricketers that get most of the attention and funding, mostly disappointing the island’s sports lovers. How about giving more attention to some of the lesser recognised sports?

Bermuda should be rightly proud of the show they put on last week, but encourage and promote further some of the island’s great athletes, men and women who represented the country with pride and distinction this week.