JERSEY, like they did in Sicily 2006, scooped the Jeux des Iles fair play trophy as the 2008 event closed in Guadeloupe.
However, despite claiming more medals than ever before they only secured tenth place overall.
Compliment
‘The overall result was a little disappointing but to pick up the fair play trophy, which is voted for by the other islands, is the icing on the cake,’ said team manager Hugh Raymond. ‘It’s a great compliment to our athletes and everybody with them – it’s incredible.’
Jersey won 26 medals this year, including three in the demonstration sport of surfing for which Nathan Elms took gold and Matthew Chapman bronze, which is by far their biggest haul, however, this didn’t transfer to the points table.
‘Unfortunately medals do not equate to points so because we had half teams in some events we haven’t taken full points which has been disheartening for the team after they did so well,’ explained Raymond.
The boys’ tennis team finished eighth and the girls’ team seventh. The girls’ athletics team collected a trophy for finishing third, as did the gymnasts earlier in the week, but the whole athletics team took seventh. The swimmers were also seventh and the sailors 11th while table tennis took ninth.
