Record-breaking swimmers add to Manx medal tally at Island Games
The day's action in the pool at Orkney's Pickaquoy Centre saw the swimmers add to Monday's impressive haul of five medals.And the record-breaking swim by the men's team of Zachary Bellhouse, Magnus Kelly, Harry Robinson and Joel Watterson in the freestyle relay marked Robinson's third trip to the top of the podium at the current games.He said while he had previously secured an individual gold, the relay success was "amazing"."We obviously won the gold medal in the medley relay yesterday as well and I did have an individual medal, but it is mainly about the team medals," he said. "It's just amazing to be stood up there with your mates, having just listened to the Manx national anthem and having a good time."After soaking up the atmosphere within the venue, Robinson said it felt "surreal" to be part of it."This is my second international experience and there's always a really good turnout from the Manx fans."And it's just amazing, the noise, the atmosphere was just perfect."
On the track outside at the same venue, there was success for Aimee Christian in the 400m hurdles.In a repeat of her performance from the previous games in 2023, she secured bronze in the contest, finishing behind the competitors from the Faroe Islands and Guernsey with a time of 1:03.89.She told Manx Radio Sport she had put in a "stronger" performance this time round despite the blustery conditions.Christian said: "I'm really happy with it, just the wind took it out of us, but I think we all felt the same and it was a good race between the three of us at the end."She said her training and preparations ahead of the Orkney event had seen things "come together" for her, with her times coming down by seven seconds."Everything just massively helps when it all comes together and I think over the past two years it's really clicked," she added.Christian's success was followed by another bronze on the athletics track for the Isle of Man.Sam Perry put in a time of 3:57.6 in the men's 1,500m to finish third behind Jersey and Guernsey, with Manx team-mate Ryan Corrin in 12th place.
There was also more success for the island's cyclists, who secured the first Manx medal of the day by taking bronze in the men's team criterium.Owen Collins, Mark Horsthuis, Eric Kelly and Ross Thornley took third behind the Channel Islands nations.Speaking to Manx Radio Sport afterwards, Kelly said it was "really tough going"."There wasn't much rest on that course, and in the heat as well it was really tough," he said."There were some really fast riders up the front so it was just try and manage your race and not blow up too early."As a team we rode pretty well, so I'm happy with the performance."
And Ethan Moore and Aalin George took mixed bronze in the archery compound events, slotting in behind the Faroe Islands and Jersey in the final standings.The 2025 Orkney Island Games continue until Friday, with more action involving Manx athletes in archery, athletics, badminton, cycling and golf due to take place on Wednesday.
Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
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Reuters
18 minutes ago
- Reuters
Master Pogacar has Tour de France peloton under his thumb
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BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
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The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Thymen Arensman holds off Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard onslaught to win shortened stage 19
The expected general classification fireworks did not materialise on stage 19 of the Tour de France, as Thymen Arensman won the final Alpine stage of this punishing race in La Plagne. Tadej Pogacar followed Jonas Vingegaard over the line just behind Arensman, a fourth overall crown now looking safe with his lead at four minutes 24 seconds over Vingegaard, who took back a couple of bonus seconds but nothing more on this final opportunity to make major changes to the standings. But Oscar Onley saw his podium dream at the Tour de France fade as, having started the day 22 seconds behind third-placed Florian Lipowitz, he faded towards the summit of La Plagne to concede 41 seconds and stay fourth overall. It was a second stage win of his debut Tour for Arensman, who had scored a much-needed victory for the Ineos Grenadiers on stage 14 on Superbagneres. UAE Team Emirates-XRG had looked determined to set up Pogacar for what would have been an a fifth stage victory of this race on the final climb, but Arensman tried a number of attacks and when he went clear with 13km of the climb remaining, he managed to open a gap. His advantage over Pogacar, Vingegaard, Onley and Lipowitz hovered at around 30 seconds, and the fatigue in everyone's legs perhaps told as the anticipated attack from behind never really materialised. Pogacar said afterwards he opted to set a 'defensive rhythm' on the hors-categorie climb. It was only when Onley began to struggle that Lipowitz saw his opportunity to finish off the Scot, moving to the front and upping the pace. But even so, Arensman hung on to win by just two seconds over the accelerating Vingegaard. 'I feel absolutely destroyed,' Arensman said. 'I can't believe it. Already to win one stage in the Tour was unbelievable from a breakaway, but now to do it against the GC group, against the strongest riders in the world, it feels like I'm dreaming. I don't know what I just did.' The discovery of a contagious disease amongst cattle in the area had forced changes to the route, which was shortened from 129.9 kilometres to 95km, removing two climbs but leaving the main tests of the Col du Pre and the finish to La Plagne, still with 3,250m of climbing packed in. Primoz Roglic had been immediately on the attack in an all-or-nothing attempt to move up from fifth overall, but he was caught before the final climb and quickly distanced, losing more than 12 minutes and slipping to eighth in the general classification. With a hilly but not mountainous stage from Nantua to Pontarlier on the menu for Saturday before Sunday's run into Paris - which this year includes the Montmartre climb - there could still be some changes at the sharp end of the general classification but it is difficult to see the podium changing.
