MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Island Games: No medals for Falkland (yet) but “a fabulous experience.”

Speaking from the Isle of Man, where he is supporting his sporting compatriots at the international Island Games, Falkland Councillor Mike Summers said that although the team has so far won no medals and has suffered at least one humiliating defeat (losing at 9-0 to the Jersey football team), the games have been a great success.

"It's not usual for them to get this type of competition," he told the BBC World Service's Calling the Falklands. He said that in spite of failing to win any medals by the half way stage of the games yesterday, the athletes, who are competing in such sports as athletics, shooting and swimming, are doing "remarkably well." he added: "They are improving on their personal bests, and it is a growing experience for them, both in sporting and personal terms. I'm sure they'll remember it forever."

Each of the participants has had to raise around £1,500 and the Falklands Government has also contributed funds. But when asked whether the expense was worth it, Mr Summers said: "I think there's no doubt that it is worth all the effort, both in terms of public relations for the Falklands in general and in personal development terms for those youngsters and competitors who have come here. It's a fabulous experience. Other people have been saying how nice it is to see Falkland Islanders here."

Gary Jakeman, the Games Administrator, said that Jersey was emerging as the star of the games, leading the medals table on Tuesday with 19 gold, 12 silver and 7 bronze. He denied, though, that the games have changed since they were conceived 15 years ago as a sporting festival where, unlike the Olympics or the Commonwealth Games, small island communities could compete with reasonable hope of winning medals.

Although the upper population limit for membership has been set at 150,000, 60 times the size of the Falklands, and the Island games committee was that day considering the admission of Bermuda, with its 60,000 inhabitants, he said the smaller territories can still compete realistically. And, in any case, he claimed, the games are about sharing common experiences and distinct island cultures as much as they are about winning. "I think the size of island is unimportant. Obviously some are going to have less population to pick their competitors from, but I don't think the winning of medals is important; it is the coming together of like minded people from similar backgrounds, similar cultures, to learn from each other, share each other's cultures, and have some fun."

Mr Jakeman said that larger and richer islands a