FRESH off the back of a first-ever team gold in the Island Games, Jersey have their first singles champion in the shape of 16-year-old Hannah Silcock.
It was a performance way beyond her years throughout, dropping just one game en route to the gold medal match, which she duly closed out 4-1 over number one seed and multi-medal winner Marina Donner of Åland.
Silcock said: ‘I am just really happy.
‘Marina has won the singles many times before and I knew it wouldn’t be easy.
‘I was nervous heading into the final, it’s my first Island Games and she has so much experience but, in the end, I managed to win pretty comfortably.
‘The team were all really supportive and kept me going.
‘I lost to her in the team event and she was very much in control of that match.
‘But I really dictated the singles well and was the one placing the ball where I wanted it to go and making her react to that.’
Elsewhere, on the men’s side of the draw, Caesarean Jordan Wykes was in search of his own piece of history.
Having previously won a silver and bronze individually at the previous two Games, he was hungry for gold.
However, he came up against the immoveable object and number one seed Max Hedbom from Gotland.
The Jerseyman fought back from 3-0 down to 3-2, but eventually succumbed to a 4-2 defeat.
‘I am gutted, to be honest,’ said Wykes.
‘I got bronze last time and a silver in Jersey back in 2015, so I was desperate for gold.
‘He was just a little too good and I got off to a poor start.
‘I battled back well, but it was a little late.
‘I knew his level was very strong and he plays full-time for Sweden, but I still had my chances.
‘I didn’t take mine and he took his well, that was the difference in the end.’
Elsewhere, there was more medal success for Team Jersey, with Luc Miller grabbing bronze, after falling to Hedbom in the semi-finals.
He cruised through the first couple of rounds without dropping a game, before outlasting the fourth seed George Downing in a thrilling 4-3 duel.
However, Hedbom proved too strong in the final four, beating Miller 4-0.
In true spirit of the Island Games, Miller had Sarnian Garry Dodd in his corner for the latter rounds, after Dodd fell to Wykes in the quarter finals.
The ‘Friendly Games’ are very much alive and Miller for one is grateful for their inter-island friendship.
The duo live close together in the UK, as well as train regularly.
He said: ‘I’ve never put too much stock into inter-island rivalry.
‘We are far too small to be against each other.
‘Competition is one thing and that is healthy, but outside of competition, the whole ethos of the Games is to build inter-island communication, positivity and a friendly Island Games is the moral of the story.’
Elsewhere, Alfie Sutherland also made it through the group stages, only to face the eventual winner Hedbom in the last 32.
Leon Pierre lost his two group games and failed to progress.
On the women’s side, Silcock’s older sister Kathryn was also in action.
She won all three of her group matches, but was knocked out in the last 32 3-1 by the eighth seed from Isle of Wight, Temeesha Hobbs.
