Five swimmers, three athletes and a solo tennis player have been selected to make the 10,000 mile journey to the South Pacific island, with Island 100m record holder Dami Williams and swimming-convert Olivia Pollard among those named.
Williams (16), who broke Stephen Prosser’s nine-year-old electronically-timed senior sprint mark earlier this month, is accompanied by shot putter Yuri Pereira and 1,500m contender Sam Maher on the track, and the trio will be looking to join the likes of predecessors Lauryn Thérin and Shadine Duquemin in claiming silverware for Team Jersey at arguably one of the biggest junior sporting events on the planet.
In the pool, Bermuda 2013 NatWest Island Games gymnast Pollard will have Beckie Scaife (50m butterfly), Nathan Corrigan (200m individual medley), Harry Shalamon (50m backstroke) and Cameron Swart (50m butterfly) alongside her as they seek to emulate the achievements of Bendigo 2004 gold medallist Dan Halksworth, while 17-year-old Caesarean Tennis Club hopeful Stuart Parker will be hoping to serve up a treat at the Samoan Apia Park Sports Complex after spending time at the venue for the 2018 senior Commonwealth Games in Australia.
‘The Commonwealth Games Association are delighted to have three sports involved this year,’ said CGA Jersey president Paul du Feu.
‘We’re finalising details at the moment, but we’re going to spend ten days in the Gold Coast before travelling to Samoa, and while some may still be too young in 2018 it will give them all an insight into what’s happening.
‘The swimmers will hopefully compete in the Queensland State Championships, Stuart will take part in some sessions with the Southport tennis players and the athletes will be able to train with Griffiths University.
The team will fly out towards the end of August for their pre-Games training camp before the opening ceremony takes place on 5 September.
