JERSEY’S youth came to the fore on day 4 of the NatWest Island Games in Guernsey – as two 16-year-olds claimed gold.
Fresh from taking a leading role in Jersey’s historic first table tennis team gold on Tuesday, Hannah Silcock produced another stunning performance that belied her tender years to claim singles gold.
Silcock dropped just one game on her way to the final where she faced a daunting prospect in number one seed and multi-Island Games champion Marina Donner of Åland, who had beaten her 3-0 in the team event.
But, unfazed by the challenge in front of her, Silcock, just one day after turning 16, put in another clinical performance to win Jersey’s first ever singles table tennis gold.
And at the shooting range, JCG student Libby Hart took ISSF 10m air rifle gold.
Hart, who turned her attention to air rifle less than a year ago, came through a tough challenge from Guernsey’s Andrea Guillou to top the podium.
Jersey produced a string of sensational performances in the pool – particularly in the relays. The women’s 4x100m freestyle team of Gemma Atherley, Megan Hansford, Siena Stephens and Alana Woodhall were locked in a four-way tussle for the top for much of the race but Games veteran Atherley produced a stunning final leg to win gold ahead of the Cayman Islands.
And, just minutes later, the men’s 4x100m medley relay team of Ollie Brehaut, Thomas Deffains, Isaac Dodds and Robbie Jones snatched victory from the hands of hosts Guernsey, with Brehaut producing a star turn in the freestyle anchor leg.
Dodds and Jones had both won individual golds earlier in the evening. Jones won the 100m individual medley in a time of 56.59 while Dodds produced a dominant performance to finish four seconds ahead of his nearest rivals.
One Team Jersey star enjoying a fruitful Island Games is archer Lucy O’Sullivan.
O’Sullivan picked up her fourth gold medal of Guernsey 2023 in the compound head-to-head knockouts, beating Jersey teammate Angela Perrett into silver.
And Shadine Duquemin eclipsed her own Island Games record – set at Jersey 2015 – on her way to discus gold.
Jersey’s eight golds on day four of the Games narrows the gap to Guernsey at the top of the medal table to seven.
