The Jersey contingent of Daniel Halksworth and Lauren Thérin (both 18), Rosie Barrett, Stephen Prosser and Richard Tanguy (all 17), Amy Pallot and Ashley Cope (both 16) and 14-year-old Victoria Rebours are staying in St Kilda, on the outskirts of Melbourne.
At the Games they will be taking part in swimming, athletics and cycling against competitors from 26 Commonwealth countries, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, England and Scotland, and also against youths from the Falklands and the Cook Islands.
Team manager Paul Huddlestone, who is also the treasurer of the Commonwealth Games Association of Jersey, is hoping that from the Jersey competitors’ point of view the event will be a stepping stone to the Commonwealth Games.
He said they would be adding a special Jersey contribution to the event.
‘I am proud to lead the Island team, and everyone has really been looking forward to the Games,’ said Huddlestone.
‘We’ve been told that one day has been designated Culture Day, when every nation is expected to put forward something different from each of their countries.
‘We’re going to introduce pétanque.
We certainly hope they’ll appreciate it.’ The opening ceremony of the Games is set for Tuesday evening, by which time the Jersey contingent will have acclimatised properly.
They stopped off in Singapore on the way to Australia, where the swimmers – Daniel Halksworth, Rosie Barrett, Amy Pallot, Ashley Cope and Victoria Rebours – had the use of a roof-top swimming pool for training and where cyclist Richard Tanguy trained on the roads.
Huddlestone said: ‘We’re hoping that the Youth Games will motivate the youngsters here to make the full Commonwealth Games in the future.
We’re also hoping that they will all come home having produced personal best performances.
But in the long term, it’s a stepping stone for them.’
