But Tatiana Tostevin, Orla Rabey, Molly Staples and Chloe Bown went big in last night’s Orkney 2025 women’s 4x100m freestyle final, not only topping the podium but doing so with an Island Games record.
They led with every stroke to record 3min. 48.73sec. at the Pickaquoy Centre, not only beating runners-up Faroe Islands by over 7sec. but ousting Jersey as record holders.
Record aside, simply to win meant a lot to them – they had even been putting in extra training specifically for the event.
‘It’s a feeling like no other,’ Staples said.
‘It was always a goal of ours, but to get in the pool and do it is [great]. Not swimming it in front of a home crowd, but knowing we’ve got a good group backing us, it’s a great experience.
‘This group of girls, we train together all the time and are such good friends.
‘To be able to do it together is such good fun.’
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Although Jersey’s Clara Ginnis won the 400m freestyle, the next two swimmers to touch came from Guernsey.
Regular Games medallist Rabey clocked up a personal best of 4-21.60 for silver, but Delphine Riley’s 4-23.74 represented a bigger improvement and also marked her second-ever individual medal. Her first had come just a day earlier over the 1,500m.
The youngster was all smiles after building on her performances at her debut Games at home two years ago, where her best placing was fifth over 800m.
‘I had it in my mind after Guernsey that I wanted to go for a medal, but I’ve had quite a tough month recently because I haven’t been very well,’ she said.
‘I was just going for a personal best so I’m really happy to have medalled.’
Chloe Bown added to her long individual tally with a 100m breaststroke bronze, posting 1-09.88.
Although outside the medals, Josh Dunning did well to qualify for the final of the 100m medley and finish in fifth. He had swum a PB of 1-00.72 in the heats and had also lowered his 100m freestyle to 54.06 that morning.
Guernsey finished 1.15sec. off the bronze in an intriguing 4x50m medley relay, where they were anchored by front-crawl powerhouse Jonny Beck.
The men had made another final, the 4x100m medley, where a very young quartet placed sixth behind classy opposition in 4-08.19.
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