Four Team Isle of Man competitors and two officials attended a reception hosted by Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Street to celebrate the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Team Captain Alex Hedges and fellow gymnast Mukunda Measuria, shooter Rachel Glover, and swimmer Niamh Robinson, were joined by Assistant General Team Manager Chris Till, and Swimming Team Manager Leonie Cooil. All six were part of the Island’s national squad which competed in Glasgow. Representatives from six other Commonwealth nations and territories – England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Jersey and Guernsey – attended the reception held on Monday August 18.

The Prime Minister spoke to the athletes and officials, and said:

“When children watch you performing in the Commonwealth Games, and see your dedication to your sport, and your commitment to team work and your commitment to do the very best that you can and to reach your personal best and go beyond it, it is incredibly inspiring. I the hope greatest legacy is that more people, particularly young people, will think about taking up a sport and thinking about physical fitness and thinking about their health, and that is the inspiration that you provide. You made us all incredibly proud, so a very big thank you from the whole government and from everyone here at Number 10.”

Thanks to Peter Kennaugh’s silver medal in the track cycling points race, the Isle of Man finished 29th in the final Glasgow 2014 medals table. However, Team Isle of Man was 5th in a table compiled by the BBC based on medals won per head of population, which put our national team above that of Scotland (6th), New Zealand (7th), Wales (8th), Australia (12th), Northern Ireland (13th), England (16th), Canada (18th), South Africa (22nd), India (33rd), and Pakistan (36th).

Sending a strong team to the Commonwealth Games is only possible with fundraising initiatives organised by the Isle of Man Commonwealth Games Association, which is a registered charity. Plans are already being drawn up to raise funds to send our national team to the 2018 Games in Gold Coast, Australia. You can find out more about how to support Team Isle of Man, and make donations, by going to www.cga.im.

Photo - Team Isle of Man Team Captain and gymnast Alex Hedges, left, at 10 Downing Street with Prime Minister David Cameron. Left to right the other team representatives are Nick Mace (Guernsey – rifle shooting); Charlotte Pollard (Jersey – artistic gymnastics); Claudia Fragapane (England – gymnastics); Louise Renicks (Scotland – judo); Francesca Jones (Wales – rhythmic gymnastics); and David Calvert (Northern Ireland – rifle shooting).