Special moments are worth sharing
IT WAS seven up for Guernsey yesterday in terms of gold medals on another hugely successful day for the hosts at the Island Games.
Last things first, it finished on a double winning note at Footes Lane as, within the space of just a few moments, Vicky Hancock won gold with a big personal best of 5.39m in the final round and then Abi Galpin gained the sprint title – and lap of honour – she wanted so much after an injury-disrupted build-up to the Games with a dominant performance in the 200m.
‘The thought of getting on that Island Games start line and really being at my best has always been something that I’ve really been motivated to do,’ said the Guernsey Athletics poster girl after clocking 24.02sec. to win by over half-a-second.
‘There’s been so many times in the last nine months I’ve been so down about my injury, so to finally have got this moment and it actually to have happened is really special.’
That medal topped off a fourth day of competition that had started with double gold for the hosts, too, on the roads of the western parishes where Jamie-Lee Wright sprinted to victory in the women’s road race with Guernsey also taking team gold.
In the afternoon, there was more for the big St Peter’s crowd to cheer as Sam Culverwell showed his class to claim individual gold in an exhilarating men’s race.
The other Guernsey triumphs of the day came on shooting ranges.
Eric de Saumarez and Jack Hanca combined to effect at Chouet as they won the 25m centrefire team event, while at Portinfer, Matthew Spruce and John Wild came out on top in the team English Skeet.
Reports, pictures and interviews in today's Guernsey Press
