Island Games: Swimming leads eight medal day six haul

Swimmers representing the Cayman Islands saved their best performance for last Thursday (11 July) reaching the podium five times on day six of the XVIII NatWest Island Games, in Gibraltar.

Leading the way was 17-year-old Jordan Crooks. After winning gold in the men’s 100-metre freestyle and bronze in the men’s 50-metre backstroke, Crooks captured three medals Thursday winning bronze with personal bests in both the 100-metre backstroke with a time of 56.40, and the 50-metre freestyle clocking 22.96.

Crooks, along with Alison Jackson, Cole Morgan and Kyra Rabess would later team up in the 4×50-metre freestyle to win silver, touching the wall in 1:38.41.

Jackson would also win a bronze – her first individual medal of the games – and her third overall, in the 100-metre freestyle in a time of 57.09.

Also medaling was teammate Raya Embury-Brown. The 14-year-old distance specialist won silver in the 800-metre freestyle, touching the wall in 9:08.59. This was her second medal of the games.

For the games, Cayman’s swimmers delivered two gold, two silver, and four bronze medals.

Sprinters win first time medals 

21-year-old sprinters Jeavhon Jackson and Sherlock Brooks both added to Cayman’s strong performance on the track Thursday with their first medals of the games. Jackson won silver in the men’s 100-metre finals clocking in at 10.94, while Brooks won silver in the men’s 400-metre finals in a time of 49.31.

Beach Volleyball lands on the podium

After losing 21-19, 21-14 to Menorca in their semifinal matchup, the team of Stefania Gandolfi and Jessica Wolfenden rebounded with a 25-23, 21-16 win over the team from Saaremaa to claim bronze. In 2015, the duo won gold in Jersey, while in 2013 Wolfenden took silver in Bermuda.

Overall, Cayman has won eight gold, six silver, and eight bronze to sit in ninth place in the medal table.

Squash continues dominance of Island Games competition

After winning every single individual and doubles gold medal thus far, the Cayman Islands national squash team took aim at gold in the Team Event Thursday, defeating Isle of Man 5-0, Orkney 5-0, and Guernsey 3-0 to reach the finals. Cayman has yet to drop a set in any game – singles, doubles or team event – during the entire competition.

Men’s Basketball returns to gold medal game

The Cayman Islands national men’s basketball team will play for back-to-back gold after a 103-66 semifinal win over Guernsey. They’ll play Saaremaa in the finals 11:00 am local time Friday, who defeated Gibraltar 64-60. The men’s national team have outscored the competition 603-215 over five games.

Other results from day six

Athletics

Women’s 200-metre finals: Danneika Lyn, 4th, 25.15; Danielle Bailey, 7th, 25.94

Men’s 400-metre finals: Karim Murray, 5th, 50.42

Swimming

Women’s 100 IM: Sam Bailey, 7th, 1:08.96

Men’s 400m Free: John Bodden, 8th, 4:07.78

Women’s 200 Fly: Avery Lambert, 7th, 2:32.58

Men’s 100m Backstroke: Cole Morgan, 7th, 58.02

Women’s 800m Free: Elana Sinclair, 6th, 9:27.93

Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay: S. Bailey, J. Crooks, R. Embury-Brown, A. Lambert, 4th, 4:33.21

Women’s Basketball

Fifth Place Game: Cayman 59 Guernsey 50

Tennis 

Women’s Doubles Plate Semifinals

Lauren Fullerton & Jade Wilkinson def Guernsey 6-3, 6-4

Women’s Singles Plate Quarterfinals

Ewa Bielanowicz (GIB) def Lauren Fullerton (CAY) 6-2, 3-6, 0-1(7)

Millie Coombes (IOW) def Jade Wilkinson (CAY) 6-0, 0-6, 1-0(9)

Men’s Singles Plate Quarterfinals

Callum Theaker (CAY) def Zacharias Forsström (ALA) 6-4, 6-4

Table Tennis

Men’s Doubles Rd of 16

Faroe Islands def Nelson/Haye (CAY) 2-0

Men’s Quarterfinals

Guernsey def Hipkins/Alexander (CAY) 3-0

Mixed Doubles Rd of 32

Menorca def Nelson/Isaacs (CAY) 3-1

Sailing

Round 9: Laser Radial Rig

9th: Rob Jackson

13th: Will Jackson

Team Event: 8th overall