Sarnian trio targeting squash medals in Orkney
THREE squash players will be heading over to Orkney this summer for a rare Island Games outing.
The small but capable team of Janick Radford, Jack Turvey and Patrick Josey will be flying the Sarnian flag as their sport makes its first appearance on the Games programme since Gibraltar 2019 – and only its fifth overall.
Squash development officer Martin Watts has admitted to the ‘challenge this year with travel and accommodation’, amid which they have not managed to get a women’s doubles team together and ultimately have chosen not to send any female players.
But he feels squash’s Games inclusion has produced a motivational effect on the domestic scene.
‘The three men want to go and compete in the doubles and the singles, which is excellent from our point of view,’ Watts said.
‘Having the Island Games adds an element of excitement to the squad. It gets a little bit of a buzz going round – it’s not every year, so when it does come round, it’s very exciting.
‘When you get that buzz, it improves the whole system.’
Josey is making his Games debut and so is Turvey, a former St Lawrence University scholarship player who recently secured runner-up at the Island Championships.
Current Guernsey champion and Gibraltar 2019 bronze medallist Radford remains the strongest individual prospect according to Watts.
‘Janick has definitely got his eyes on the medals,’ he said.
‘We know that the Cayman Islands are not in the event, but Jersey will be our main rival – as they always are – and Gibraltar will probably be strong.
‘There’s a good chance that our guys could be competitive in both the singles and doubles.’
The Orkney Games take place from 12-18 July.
