Guernsey’s full complement

The Guernsey Commonwealth Games Association have worked around the obstacle of an ongoing pandemic to fill all their available places for the great spectacle, which runs from 28 July to 8 August.

The impact of Covid on competition opportunities has led to selectors looking beyond the usual A and B standards, as well as considering results before and after the planned one-year qualifying window.

GCGA chef de mission Angela Stuart gave her approval of the resulting team, featuring representation from seven sports.

‘I am extremely pleased to be able to support a wonderful group of talented athletes at the Games, and together with our general team managers, Peter Jory and Karina Jackson, we will embrace the challenges of the multi-cultural and multi-sport Games,’ she said.

Track and field’s Chalmers brothers, cyclists Sam Culverwell, Marc Cox and Seb Tremlett, and triathlete Josh Lewis all achieved early selection in November, with the remaining 22 confirmed this week.

The swimmers are out in force with a huge contingent of eight representatives across a variety of disciplines.

The Games will provide a special opportunity for swimmers through the inclusion of mixed relays, and with four men and four women selected, Guernsey will rise to the challenge.

Five track and field athletes will represent Guernsey over various sprint distances, from 100m to the 400m hurdles.

The five cyclists could potentially cover all disciplines – mountain bike, time-trial and road race, with a possible first-time track representation through Tremlett. All five will support Culverwell as lead rider in the road race.

Lawn bowls will see the 2021 local six-event champion, Lucy Beere, compete in the singles and partner Rose Ogier in the women’s pairs. Similarly, Todd Priaulx will compete in the singles and with Matthew Solway in the men’s pairs.

The four badminton players cover multiple disciplines – singles, doubles and mixed doubles.

Boxer Billy Le Poullain enters the ring as a stronger athlete than his history-making debut at Gold Coast 2018, as underlined by his recent England selection.

Lewis will contest the triathlon after a very successful 2021 where his focuses ranged from sprint to half Ironman events, making the top five in five competitions.

GUERNSEY TEAM

Athletics: Cameron Chalmers, Alastair Chalmers, Peter Curtis, Abi Galpin, Joe Chadwick.

Badminton: Stuart Hardy, Elena Johnson, Chloe Le Tissier, Emily Trebert.

Boxing: Billy Le Poullain.

Cycling: Sam Culverwell, Sebastian Tremlett, Marc Cox, James Roe, Michael Serafin.

Lawn Bowls: Lucy Beere, Rose Ogier, Todd Priaulx, Matthew Solway.

Swimming: Charlie-Joe Hallett, Ronny Hallett, Jonathan Beck, Samuel Lowe, Tatiana Tostevin, Laura Le Cras, Orla Rabey, Molly Staples.

Triathlon: Joshua Lewis.