Gotland.
It’s a Swedish island in the Baltic Sea. Don’t feel bad if you hadn’t heard of it. The same could well apply to the Island Games as well, which Gotland are hosting this month. The NatWest Island Games are a biennial bonanza that brings together thousands of athletes from 24 different islands around the world to compete across a range of sports. The reason it might not be on your radar however, is that the islands involved have fairly small populations and, with the enormous exception of Greenland, tend to be small in size too.
British islands like Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Shetland and the Channel Islands are represented, but the Games also unite competitors from places as far flung as Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and even St Helena in the South Atlantic, whose team will take two weeks just to get to Gotland!
Ynys Môn is sending a team of 129 athletes, coaches and supporters, incorporating young first timers and experienced representatives, to the 17th edition of the Games, which started as a celebration event for the Year of Sport on the Isle of Man back in 1985 with only 12 islands competing, but has gone from strength the strength and expanded to include 23 proud island teams. The Welsh island will be represented in eight sports this time, ranging from Triathlon to Shooting, Football and Gymnastics.
For many of the Ynys Môn team this will be their first taste of international competition, and it’s often the sporting pinnacle for many making the trip. However, the games have produced some superstars in the past, such as Olympic Heptathlete Kelly Sotherton and Team GB cyclist Mark Cavendish, so maybe we will see some Welsh athletes follow in their famous footsteps in the future. From Ynys Mon to the Olympics? There’s no reason why not.
As important as the sport itself is, the games are also an opportunity to meet fellow islanders from all over the world, all living surrounded by the sea, with the common experiences this brings. It’s also notable that Gotland’s coat of arms features a ram, an ovine association often made with Wales of course!
International island life is celebrated during the opening ceremony, where each team nominates a water carrier who brings with them a ceremonial vessel of water from their island. These are then all brought together to highlight the themes of unity and fellowship that run throughout the week. Ynys Môn’s water carrier this year is footballer Cai Powell-Roberts, who will be attending his first games.
The NatWest Island Games not only impact on those picked to compete, but also have the power to inspire the next generation of athletes from each island. Schoolchildren on Anglesey learn about the games, and are inspired to head to their local athletics track for a taster session, or pick up a bulu tangkis racquet and just give sport a go.
“The power of having local role models is huge, and as the Island’s current generation of athletes, we have a responsibility to ensure we ignite something in the children of the Island with the inspirational power of sport.”
-Connor Laverty, Anglesey shot putter and former Young Ambassador
Ynys Môn are bidding to host the games in 2025, and the team behind the bid know that if they’re successful, they have a lot of work to do to maintain the high standard of the games delivered each year. But, as Wales has shown when hosting major sports events such as the Champions League Final, the Rugby World Cup and the Tour of Britain, we know how to put on a good show, and we won’t expect anything less from Ynys Môn when it’s our time to shine!
To keep up to date with the team’s progress in the NatWest Island Games on Gotland, please follow @YnysMonIGA on Twitter.
Emma Roberts is the media officer for the Ynys Môn team in Gotland, who will also be competing for the athletics team in the sprint relay.
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