Bermuda’s 67-member team departs tomorrow for the NatWest Island Games in Gotland, Sweden, led by Jon Beard, the Chef de Mission, who is confident the team will continue the success enjoyed at the Games.

Bermuda will be represented by 67 athletes in nine sports, with volleyball having the biggest group, 23, as well as two in beach volleyball. Beard, chairman of the Bermuda Island Games Association, praised the hard work done by his committee of Juanita Blee, Georgina Francoeur and Laura Bolton, as well as companies and organisations who have supported the Bermuda team.

“Without their support many of these athletes would not be able to participate,” Beard stressed. “The team has been outfitted thanks to the continued support of Sun Life Financial International, who has provided the teams uniforms since 2015.

“Representing Bermuda is an honour that our athletes do not take lightly and the uniforms provided by Sun Life Financial ensure that they represent us in style.”

Niall O’Hare, CEO of Sun Life Financial, stated: “We are pleased to continue our support of the Bermudian delegation for the NatWest Island Games. We are proud to support our local community and look forward to celebrating the athletes and their successes upon their return to Bermuda.”

Bermuda will be represented by four track and field athletes, middle distance runners Deon Breary, the recent Bermuda Half Day Marathon women’s winner, Ashley Berry and Gayle Lindsay and sprinter Taahira Butterfield.

Cycling has named strong men’s and women’s teams, including Dominique Mayho who has been competing in Belgium, and youngsters Che’quan Richardson, Kaden Hopkins and Matthew Oliveira while Gabriella Arnold, Nicole Mitchell, Zoenique Williams and Alyssa Rowse make up the women’s team. There are also two mountain bike competitors, Adam Kirk and Deshi Smith.

The golf team comprises Katrin Burnie, Walker Campbell, Jarryd Dillas, Linda Down, Will Haddrell, Elizabeth Parsons, Mark Phillips and Tariqah Walikraam.

Top singles player Gavin Manders will be part of a four-member tennis team which also includes Samuel Butler, Jovan Jordan-Whitter and David Thomas while Tucker Murphy is the lone triathlete.

Badminton has a team of seven while there are five gymnasts. Ian Bucci and Kazimierz Orlowski will compete in beach volleyball.

“These games are of a high standard,” Beard said recently. “They are not the Olympics or Commonwealth Games, but they still provide a very strong test for our athletes and help to develop them for future competitions.

“With these games, our athletes can compete in a competition where they truly have the chance to finish on the podium and it is a chance to show off our talent on an international stage.”

Beard added: “Gymnastics are in the Games again this year, and our gymnasts have always done us proud and finished in the medals. Gavin Manders and David Thomas have been popular and regular tennis competitors in the Games and will hope that they can get into the medals.

“Badminton will be hoping to continue their obvious development through recent Games and aim to be in the medals; and Archery, which has developed incredibly in Bermuda in recent years is hoping for their first medal in these Games.

“Tucker Murphy will once again show his athletic diversity and hopes to among the top finishers in triathlon.”

TEAM

Archery — Robert O’Connor, Tiffany Slaton, Bernard Wade III

Athletics — Ashley Berry, Deon Breary, Taahira Butterfield, Gayle Lindsay

Badminton — Rowena Cespedes, Mark Haugen, Danial Hughes, Kwun Wa Lam, Darelyn Legaspi, Denzel Simons, David Wellman

Beach volleyball — Ian Bucci, Kazimierz Orlowski

Cycling — Gabriella Arnold, Kaden Hopkins, Adam Kirk, Dominique Mayho, Nicole Mitchell, Matthew Oliveira, Che’quan Richardson, Alyssa Rowse, Deshi Smith, Zoenique Williams

Golf — Katrin Burnie, Walker Campbell, Jarryd Dillas, Linda Down, Will Haddrell, Elizabeth Parsons, Mark Phillips, Tariqah Walikraam

Gymnastics — Max Blakeney, Anna Francoeur, Taj Kiran Lowery, Gianna Webbe, Chantae Wilson

Tennis — Samuel Butler, Jovan Jordan-Whitter, Gavin Manders, David Thomas

Triathlon — Tucker Murphy

Volleyball — Brian Amaro, Shannon Botelho, Perry D’Ambrosio, Christina Duff, Kathryn Dyck, Daniel Fiddick, Keiran Hamilton, Kyle Hamilton, Melisa Judd, Allison Lacoursiere, Leticia Ferreira, Savannah Loder, Amber Lopes, Katrina McPhee, Bradley Meindersma, Tiago Ferreira, Sy Olson-McPeek, Khianda Pearman-Watson, Robert Saraiva, Allison Settle-Smith, Brandon Sousa, Eron Woods, Cyprian Zimecki.