Golden girl may put career first

GUERNSEY'S magnificent swimmers struck triple gold last night. Gail Strobridge led from start to finish to notch yet another top honour in in the 200m breaststroke final.

She was joined on top of the podium by Jonathon Le Noury, who set a breathtaking new Games record in the 200m freestyle, and young Matthew Robert who claimed his first gold in the 50m breaststroke after Jersey's Damien Bouchere was disqualified for a technical infringement on the turn.

And the team collectively continued its remarkable medal haul in the Clickimin pool with another double- figure tally.

There were individual silvers for Ian Powell, in the 400m individual medley, Thomas Hollingsworth, in the 100m butterfly, Ben Lowndes, in the 200m freestyle, and Strobridge in the 200m individual medley.

Guernsey's 50m freestyle relay foursome of Ian Hubert, Lowndes, Jeremy Osborne and Ian Powell smashed the previous Games record by nearly a second in a time of 1-35.98, but it was only good enough for silver behind Jersey.

The popular Lowndes also grabbed bronze at 100m butterfly and Christine Hume did likewise in the 200m breaststroke.

'I woke up this morning and my arms and back of my shoulders were completely ruined,' said Specsavers systems analyst Le Noury, 21.

But that did not deter him from coming within 0.4 sec. of his personal best.

'It's an amazing feeling and I can't believe it. I have done the double with the gold last night. I went into this race seeded first and I was not expecting to go that fast,' he said.

Robert, 18, reacted with joy at poolside next to the vociferous Guernsey contingent when he realised he had snatched gold. He was hugged by all those around him.

The former Grammar School pupil, who is to study graphic design at university, was overjoyed at the victory.

'I have been training for two years solid for this - this is my best event,' he said.

He had little sympathy for Jersey swimmer Bouchere, whom he believed should have not have been in the final after being disqualified for the same infringement in the heats in the morning.

'Yesterday I was really happy to get a bronze. At the last Games I came seventh in this event and this time first. It's payment for all my hard training and I would like to thank my personal trainer, Andy Perkins,' said Robert.

Strobridge is back on the golden trail after five individual and one relay medals two years ago.

'I'm much better because I swam a lot better today. I had my shockers yesterday,' admitted the 19-year-old Southampton University student.

'I just wanted to get into the team spirit today and I have been concentrating on my races and I'm feeling a lot more lively.'

She was delighted with her latest gold medal swim.

'I was feeling I had an edge on everyone else and my breaststroke has been going well. But I'm possibly looking at this being my last Island Games because I'm doing medicine for my degree and it's proving to be demanding,' she said.

'It's a case of making a choice between my career and my swimming.

'I have got Commonwealth Games qualifying times and will see how I swim in the rest of this gala and the nationals at the beginning of August before deciding whether to go for the Commonwealths,' said Strobridge.

Young Hannah Lamb finished a creditable fifth in the 50m butterfly final, Paul Adkins was fourth in the 50m breaststroke final and the 4x50m medley relay team came fourth.