Members of Bermuda’s NatWest International Island Games squad returned home last night after an encouraging weeklong competition in Gibraltar.

Bermuda’s 48-strong team competed in nine sports and won 14 medals at the biennial event, including six silver and eight bronze, to finish seventeenth out of 22 islands in the standings.

Shianne Smith came closest to capturing gold as she was leading the 400 metres hurdles before clipping her final jump and had to settle for silver.

Bermuda’s bowlers enjoyed a successful competition, with Lamar Richardson coming second in the singles, David Maycock and June Dill taking silver in the mixed doubles and Damien Matthews finishing runner-up in the masters. Also winning silver were the men’s team of Richardson, Blake Raynor, Matthews and Maycock.

Richardson also won bronze in the masters, as did Matthews and Maycock in the doubles, while Dill, Flo Simons, Patrice Tucker and Jennifer Stovell placed third in the women’s competition.

In tennis, Gavin Manders and David Thomas took silver in the men’s doubles. Manders also won bronze in the singles, while Bermuda’s men’s team of Sam Butler, James Finnigan, Manders, Thomas and Scott Redmond placed third.

Kalin Hillier, Scott Mello, Adriana Penruddocke and Jordon Etemadi won bronze in the sailing team event, shooter Adrienne Smatt won bronze in the women’s 50 metres Smallbore Prone, while Rachel Barnes and Anthony Fellowes finished third in the mixed doubles.

Sean Trott, was among the athletes who returned to the island last night, and said he was delighted with his displays in the half-marathon, 10,000 and 5,000 metres. “I had top-ten finishes in all three events,” Trott said.

“I’m just glad my body held up. I finished fourth in the 10,000 and that was my second-fastest time.

“Bermuda had some really strong performances and the level has definitely increased since I last competed in 2011 in the Isle of Wight.”

Badminton player Aaron Simmons, who reached the round of 32 in the singles event, said: “This was my first Island Games and hopefully I can win a medal next time The competition was much better than I expected.”

Hiral Parekh, a member of the women’s doubles badminton team with Zoe Wang, added: “This was an experience of a lifetime and we had such a great time. It’s was such a proud feeling to represent Bermuda and it was a wonderful experience. We were pleased with our performances.”