The Ynys Môn flag bearer and water carrier have been announced for this summer’s Island Games.
Golfer Gareth Owen will carry the Welsh flag at the opening ceremony in St Peter Port, Guernsey on 8 July. This will be Gaz’s sixth Island Games after playing in the men’s football in Shetland (2005), Rhodes (2007), Aland (2009), Isle Of Wight (2011), and then captaining the side at Jersey (2015). He is now changing sports and will be part of the men’s golf team, looking to medal thanks to having a scratch handicap. Gaz’s Island Games story is well-known thanks to meeting his wife at Shetland 2005 https://www.iiga.org/news_story_153459.html.
The tradition of the island’s water carrier being our youngest competitor is continued this summer as swimmer Hywyn Jones takes the great honour of delivering the water to the opening ceremony. This has been a part of the Island Games since 1985 and sees all islands bring water from their shores to the host island. These waters are then combined at the opening ceremony as a show of unity. Consider this to be akin to the Olympic flame. Hywyn is 15 and will be competing in many of the short-course swimming events during the week.
Both competitors are pictured here with YMIGA Chairman Dave Tommis who had this to say: “Representing your island in this way is a great honour for both. Gareth has been a great servant of Ynys Môn over the years and richly deserves this opportunity. Hywyn is an exciting young talent who we hope will continue to represent our island for years to come.”