Round-Up: Day 1-5 from Commonwealth Games 2022

As the Pathway Sponsors for the Jersey Commonwealth Games Team 2022, we are so proud of our team and their achievements so far! Island Record and personal bests’ are being smashed in every sport! Take a look at the daily round up below, written by Tim Pryor.

Day 1 wrap - Friday 29 July

More than half of Jersey's Commonwealth Games team members were straight into action on day one of sport at Birmingham 2022. 

Artistic Gymnastics

In gymnastics, Daniel Lee got his Games off to a superb start, dominating subdivision one and drawing much praise from the BBC commentators. Dan finished top of his group in the All-Around scoring (78.05) and was due to learn more this evening (Friday), following other results, on whether he would progress to the next stage.

Boxing

Tom Frame became Jersey's first boxer since 1998 to fight at a Commonwealth Games. Competing in the light welterweight "round of 32", against experienced Louis Richarno Colin of Mauritius, Tom suffered a unanimous points defeat.

Lawn Bowls

Jersey's triples team of Scott Ruderham, Greg Davis and Malcolm de Sousa were the first Jersey competitors in action at the Games. They pulled away for a 19-11 opening group victory over the Cook Islands, and followed that up with a 26-9 win against the small South Pacific Ocean island of Niue.

Jersey's pairs team of skip Ross Davis and lead Derek Boswell were beaten 22-7 by Scotland this afternoon but bounced back with a 27-9 triumph against Niue .

Aquatics/Swimming​

All seven of Jersey's swimming squad were in action in the pool on an opening day, with a series of personal bests and island records broken. The mixed 4x100m freestyle relay team made tonight's final, finishing in 7th spot (3:42.31), while Harry Shalamon progressed as far as the semi-final stage in the 100m backstroke event. Harry's 56.07 in his heat was a new personal and island best.  

Triathlon 

23-year-old Ollie Turner was Jersey's representative in the sprint distance triathlon at Sutton Park, competing in his second Commonwealths. Ollie was as high as fourth place midway through the cycle and ultimately crossed the line in 15th spot, an improvement on his 26th placed finish from four years ago in Gold Coast. 

Day 2 wrap - Saturday 30 July

Lawn Bowls

Jersey's triples (lead Scott Ruderham, second Greg Davis, skip Malcolm de Sousa) kicked off day two of action at Birmingham 2022, with a narrow 15-14 loss against Australia. The Jersey trio had already secured a quarter final place though, thanks to their opening-day victories over Cook Islands and Niue. Jersey will now face home nation England in the quarters on Sunday.

This afternoon, Jersey pair Derek Boswell and Ross Davis overcame their Canadian opponents 20-13, and then in this evening's match picked up two on the last end to pull level for a 15-15 tie with New Zealand.

Aquatics/Swimming

In the pool Ollie Brehaut (200m freestyle), Lily Scott (50m freestyle), Gemma Atherley (50m freestyle + 100m backstroke), Robbie Jones (100m breaststroke) and Isaac Dodds (400m individual medley) were all in action in the morning individual heats before the men's 4x100m relay heat. 

Scott was first in her 50m freestyle heat in a superb new island record time of 26.95, but missed out on a semi-final spot. Atherley also registered an island record, in the 100m backstroke, but fell agonisingly  short (by just 0.02 seconds) of a place in the semis. Dodds, meanwhile, registered a personal best in the 400m IM (4:29.70). In the relay, the Jersey line-up of Harry Shalamon, Jones, Brehaut and Dodds finished fourth in their heat (3:33.46), another island record and nearly two seconds ahead of Guernsey.

Cycling

22-year-old Rhys Pilley became Jersey's first Commonwealth Games track cyclist for 28 years when he took to the track at lunchtime in the 4,000m individual pursuit heat. Pilley, racing with England's William Perrett, posted a time of 4:34.787 to finish 17th in the qualifying stage. The top four went through to fight for the medals. Prior to today, Jersey's last track cyclist was Lynn Minchington in 1994.

Day 3 wrap - Sunday 31 July

Gymnastics

Gymnast Daniel Lee starred for Jersey on day three of the Commonwealth Games, putting in a series of superb performances to finish a brilliant 6th in the All-Around final.

Daniel got off to a positive start on the pommel horse with 12.45, gaining around half a mark on his qualification score (11.9) from the opening day. Next the 23-year-old took to the rings, where he registered 12.9. On the following rotation Dan moved to the vault, and an impressive 14.15 saw him rise to sit in 6th place at the midway point, a position he would not relinquish. 14 points on the parallel bars, before 13.25 from the judges on the horizontal bar set him up nicely for the final rotation (floor). His routine earnt him a 12.7 and a combined score of 79.45, well up on his qualification total.

Lawn Bowls

Jersey trio Scott Ruderham, Greg Davis and skip Malcolm de Sousa (pictured) missed out on a place in the semi-finals of the lawn bowls triples, suffering a 16-11 loss to host nation England in this afternoon's quarter final at Victoria Park. A four in the fourth end had put Jersey 5-4 in front, with the teams then locked at 7-7 at the midway point. The England team of Louis Ridout, Nick Brett and Jamie Chestney opened up a 13-9 lead with three ends to play, and the Jersey triple were unable to pick up enough shots in the closing stages to progress.

A little over an hour later, Jersey and England went head-to-head again, this time in the quarter finals of the pairs. Jersey duo Derek Boswell (lead) and Ross Davis (skip) found themselves 8-0 down after four ends and it was likely to be a long way back from there against an in-form England pairing of Jamie Walker and Sam Tolchard. England ended up 19-6 winners to book their spot in the last four.

Swimming

All seven Jersey swimmers were in action in the pool in the space of just an hour on Sunday morning at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre. Gemma Atherley registered a new Jersey record in the 50m butterfly heats, with a time of 28.51 seconds. Harry Shalamon made it through to the semis of the 50m backstroke.

Day 4 wrap - Monday 1 August

Swimming

Gemma Atherley made history on Monday by becoming Jersey's first female swimmer ever to make an individual Commonwealth Games final. The 24-year-old swam a time of 2:18.53 to finish in 8th spot at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre.

Earlier, in the heats, teenager Lily Scott broke the Island record in the 100m freestyle, registering a time of 57.84. Harry Shalamon was also among the record-breaking Jersey swimmers in action on Monday. He set a new island record in the 100m butterfly, with a time of 54.89.

Gymnastics

Jersey gymnast Daniel Lee was in his second final of the Games. Dan had originally been on the reserve list for the Rings final, but was called up to compete after injury to another competitor. His score of 12.9 from the judges was enough for seventh place. England's Courtney Tulloch took the gold medal with 14.4.

Cycling

Cyclist Rhys Pilley was back on the track at Lee Valley for his second event of the Games, the 1000m time trial. His time of 1:05.63 to cover the kilometre distance was 6 seconds behind the eventual winner, and enough to give Rhys 16th place.

Day 5 wrap - Tuesday 2 August

Athletics

A trio of Jersey athletes were in action at the Alexander Stadium on Tuesday. In the morning session, Zach Saunders became Jersey's first ever Commonwealth Games 100m runner. The 19-year-old sprinter's time of 10.76 was just outside his personal best of 10.70, and earnt him 5th spot in his heat. He'll be on track again later this week in the 200m. 

He said: "I'm a little disappointed with the time and the race. It felt like I got out OK, but I just sort of ran out of it a bit but I think it's good to shake off some nerves. I'm happy to be here but it [the performance] was not quite what I was hoping for. The conditions aren't amazing but it is what it is, and you can't change that."  

Experienced thrower Zane Duquemin was next in action, in the men's discus qualification round. His first effort of 58.87m saw him qualify for Thursday's final in 4th spot in his group and 7th place overall.

In the evening session, Shadine Duquemin took 10th place in the final of the women's discus. Her best throw of the night was 52.87m.        

Swimming

At the Sandwell Aquatics Centre there were yet more island records set by Jersey's swimmers. Gemma Atherley's time of 29.93 in the 50m backstroke was a new Jersey best and enough to make it through to the semis. A further island record followed in the 4x100m mixed medley relay heats (4:00.49), with Atherley, Robbie Jones, Harry Shalamon and Lily Scott teaming up to finish fourth in their race, behind Australia, Canada and Wales. Jersey came 7th in the final, ahead of 8th placed Guernsey.

Bowls

Jersey's fours started their Commonwealth Games campaign with a loss, as they were beaten 22-9 by New Zealand. Lead Derek Boswell, second Scott Ruderham, third Greg Davis and skip Malcolm de Sousa had found themselves 17-2 down after nine ends.