Students who have attended the Isle of Man Sport Aid Academy will be representing the Island internationally in the coming weeks.

A dozen young sportspeople have been selected to participate in archery, athletics, golf, gymnastics and swimming for the Manx team at the Island Games, being held next week in Gotland, Sweden.

Next month athlete David Mullarkey and swimmers Euan Macmurchie, Joel Watterson and Kazia Whittaker will showcase their skills on behalf of the Isle of Man at the Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas. 

All 16 have participated in the Isle of Man Sport Aid Academy, which aims to equip the Island’s young sportspeople with the support, skills and knowledge to work towards becoming elite athletes.

The Isle of Man Sport Aid Academy was launched in 2015 as a platform to help athletes aged 13 to 17 who are in the tier below those currently supported by Isle of Man Sport Aid. The Academy, which is sponsored by SMP Partners and Newfield, follows a structured programme of workshops and ongoing homework developed by Isle of Man Sport and Athlete Development Adviser Paul Jones.

Importantly, the Academy includes parents, guardians and coaches in the workshops as they play vital roles in the success of all participants, who receive advice to not only develop their sports skills but also learn valuable life lessons.

Isle of Man Sport Aid Sports Performance Co-ordinator Chris Quine said: ‘It’s a real delight to see our hard-working young athletes compete at these international events. I’m sure that the lessons and skills they have learned over the past two years in the Academy will be invaluable to them.

‘The programme covers important topics such as nutrition and recovery which they will need to remember in the run up and throughout the competitions.’

Mark Denton, Managing Director at leading independent trust and corporate services provider SMP Partners, added: ‘I’d like to wish all the young athletes the very best as they fly the flag for the Isle of Man. Everyone who has been involved in the Academy, from the mentors and tutors to the sponsors and coaches, is extremely proud of our young representatives. Competing at a major international event will be an amazing experience, and I know the training delivered by the Academy will stand each of them in good stead.’

Mark Reynolds, a Director at eGaming firm Newfield, concluded: ‘It’s so rewarding to see the students from the Academy going off to showcase the talent we have here on the Island. We became involved in the Academy because it shared many of Newfield’s values, in terms of recognising, nurturing and supporting talent to reach its full potential. For these young athletes the Island Games and Commonwealth Youth Games are an opportunity to put the skills they have learned to the test. I hope they thoroughly enjoy the experience knowing that the whole of the Isle of Man is behind them.’

Photo - The Isle of Man's teams at the upcoming Island Games and Commonwealth Youth Games will include 16 young sportspeople who attend the Isle of Man Sport Aid Academy.