Island Games 2025 close after a week of friendship and memories

BBC News

4 days ago

The 20th Island Games have come to an end after a sensational week for many of the 24 islands competing.The Faroe Islands, who will host the 2027 games, came top of the medals table with Jersey and Guernsey in second and third place.A closing ceremony concluded the event with a short handover ceremony followed by a private celebration for athletes and officials.This year, the 12-sport event returned to Scotland for the first time since 2005, when it was hosted by Shetland.
Sunny weather that Orkney could only have dreamed of gave visitors from afar a great first impression of the archipelago.Andrew Inkster, chair of the International Island Games Association, said the games had been "truly incredible". "I always knew it would be," he said. "I had high hopes for Orkney and the community putting on an incredible spectacle."The levels of support and the fantastic scenes we've seen all week, it's really been a memorable week and one that will last long in everybody's memories."
The week kicked off with the opening ceremony at Kirkwall's Bignold Park in front of 2,500 people.The Princess Royal officially opened the games, while Scots TV presenter Lorraine Kelly and BBC Radio Orkney's Stewart Bain hosted the festivities.Smiling competitors joined together and marched down the streets waving the flags of their home islands.
For Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, there was plenty to celebrate.The hosts came 6th in the table, the best result they have ever seen in an Island Games.The Western Isles came 8th and Shetland in 14th place.Orkney struck success on the first day of the games, scooping gold for the Women's Triathlon and bronze for the Men's Triathlon thanks to Claire Rendall and Bobby Oag.
Claire said she was "over the moon" and that her win didn't feel real. "My arms were going a bit dead by the time I got out of the water, but I thought, I'm not going to use them by the end of the race so might as well give it beans."I've felt so much pressure. It's the first event, I just wanted to make Orkney proud."
Ola the Orca brought fun to crowds across the events.The games' mascot was created by Sarah Sutcliffe, 12, who won a competition entered by 880 local children and young people.There were plenty of accompanying events throughout Kirkwall for children and young people to get involved.
Local sprinter, Taylah Paterson, has been crowned Orkney's golden girl by locals.She won for Orkney in the 100m and 200m races. She also secured two gold medals in the 4x100m, and 4x400m group races.In 2022, Paterson represented Scotland in the Commonwealth Games. A year later, she welcomed her daughter Lara in to the world.
Taylah says a lot of sacrifice has gone into her gold medals."I picked up an injury at the start of the year and this didn't seem like the outcome that was going to be but, I kept telling myself even when I was injured, you're going to be a gold medallist at the island games."Taylah received her 100m medal from Hilary Rendall, previously known as Donaldson when she won gold in the 100m in first Island Games in 1985.
The volunteers were another huge part of the games. Andrew Inkster said: "The tangerine dream, as they've been called, have been great"I think the visitors to the island have really appreciated that warm community feeling, which I knew Orkney would bring."
Many of the athletes from the 24 island groups have been badge-swapping. Athletes and team members exchange pin badges with other island teams, proving that the so called 'friendly games' really is what it says.This practice is a fun way to break the ice with competitors and celebrate the spirit of the games.
On Thursday, Grant Ferguson won the first gold for Shetland in the mountain biking cross country.He said: "I've done two Commonwealth Games for Scotland and then the Rio Olympics, which seems like a while ago now. "I do try and keep racing each year and I've kept quite a bit of fitness so to get the option to do the island games was like yeah of course, I'll have a go at that."
Kara Hanlon, who is also a former Commonwealth Games athlete and comes from the Western Isles, broke two swimming records in the Women's 100m and 200m breaststroke. She received a gold medal for both, as well as gold in the Women's 100m Individual Medley and Women's 50m breaststroke.
One of the biggest highlights of the week was the Orkney vs Shetland football knockout, where the teams played against each other to secure fifth place in the competition.Orkney won 3-2 in front of a 2,000-strong crowd.The week concluded on Friday, with athletics, football, gymnastics, badminton, cycling, sailing and squash events.
The Western Isles women's half marathon team won, with Shetland in second and the Isle of Man third.Orkney's women's 4x100m relay team also got gold, as well as the 4x400m relay, securing Taylah Paterson her fourth gold medal.Planning any event can present major hurdles but Andrew Inkster said Orkney had outdone itself.
"Being the smallest island ever to host was always a huge challenge for Orkney. It's handled these challenges really well. "I have no doubt the buzz after this week will last long and the memories certainly."A full list of Island Games 2025 results can be found here.