Guernsey swimmers head to Malta for Island Games preparation

ITV CHANNEL
The trip to Malta is a first opportunity for many of the swimmers to compete internationally. Credit: ITV Channel

A team of young swimmers from Guernsey are preparing to compete in Malta as part of their preparations for next year's Island Games in Orkney.

The island has sent Under 15 and Under 18 squads to the Malta Invitational Games, which begin today (8 November), and will see swimmers from Guernsey compete against athletes from 15 small countries around the world including Cyprus, Albania, Monaco and the Faroe Islands, which will host the 2027 Island Games.

The second Malta Invitational Games includes four sports including swimming, water polo, badminton and taekwondo.

Swimming events will take place on the final day of competition of Sunday (10 November) in Tal-Qroqq.

Team manager and coach Sara Parfit told ITV News that the international experience - the first for many swimmers competing - will provide an important stepping stone for the Island Games in 2025.

Sara said: "The key thing is that it gives something motivational for younger swimmers and also help with our preparation, moving onto Island Games, then onto Youth Commonwealth Games and hopefully ultimately onto a full Commonwealth Games."

Sara added: "It keeps them in the sport. It's something that's motivational. It's exciting."

Chloe Bown, one of the swimmers competing, is excited about the opportunity to put in a performance to be proud of in her first competition abroad with the Guernsey team.

Chloe said: "I've done international competitions before but never in Malta so I'm really excited to just go to the country, see what it's like, and just compete against other, smaller nations.

"It's a new environment, it's a new thing that I'm doing. So I have more excitement [than nerves].

"I feel like once I'm there, racing with the team, I'll have more excitement than nerves."

For Spike Jinks, the Malta Invitational Games offers a first taste of international racing.

Spike told ITV News: "Other than looking for personal bests in races, I'm looking for experience racing against different nations because, as I've said, I've never swum anywhere outside the UK, so that's what I'm trying to get from it."

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