Beating the top seeds, Greenland’s Aviaaja Geisler and Else Hogh Moller, 21-19, 21-12 in the first round their campaign couldn’t have got off to a much better start and they next defeated the Isle of Man’s Kimberley Clague and Carly Singer 21-9, 21-11.
However, their semi-final against Guernsey girls Kiara Green and Gayle Lloyd proved to be one step too far as they went down 15-21, 21-8, 21-12 but came away with a bronze medal for their efforts.
Gavin Carter and Chris Cotillard had hoped to reach the medal positions in the men’s doubles but they were knocked out one stage too early as they faced the second seeds from the Faroe Islands, Bjartur Lamhauge and Aksel Poulsen, and lost 21-11, 21-17.
They started the day with a 21-12, 21-11 win over Greenland’s Ukatu Kristensen and Jens Frederik Nielsen and then survived a tough three set battle, surfacing victorious 21-13, 19-21, 21-13 against Gotland’s Mattius Englund and Christian Petterson before going out in their quarter-final.
Team manager Ian Coombs-Goodfellow, reflecting on the team’s Island Games so far said: ‘Traditionally we’ve always won medals in badminton so obviously there is an element of disappointment that we haven’t won as many as we would have liked.
‘However, we have to put things into perspective as we have a very young team here and when you look at the team result, finishing fourth to Guernsey’s ninth, you can see that we’ve still done really well but the standard is a little bit tougher this year.’
Also competing yesterday, Jade Coombs-Goodfellow and Marilisa Garnier put up a good fight but were beaten 21-19, 21-12 by Gupri Poulsen and Sigrun Smith in the second round after a bye in the first.
It was a similar story for Ben Watson and Tom Gibbs as they played the top seeds Frederik Elsner and Mini Kleist in the second round and were knocked out 21-8, 21-12.
With the mixed doubles event kicking off today Jersey will have their eyes on the finals including Ashton paired with Cotillard as well as Carter with Katherine Thornton.
Carter had been a doubt after the team event, suffering with a back problem, but some expert help from the medical team had him back in action for the doubles event yesterday.
He was quick to praise Jersey’s medical team and said: ‘They’ve been unbelievable. I’ve struggled with back problems for around ten years and I was struggling after the team event because it’s so intense and it takes a lot out of you especially on a hard floor and in this heat.
‘It’s disappointing to lose again today as I’ve been beaten in three quarter-finals now but we were up against the second seeds and they were always favourites.
‘However, I think I’ll have to go to the next Island Games now because I haven’t won an individual medal yet and I really want to it’s just a case of whether the body holds out for two more years.’
