Commonwealth Games: Guernsey medallists fear for future of event

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Alastair Chalmers became just the ninth person representing Guernsey to win a Commonwealth Games medal

Guernsey's two medallists from the 2022 Commonwealth Games say they are saddened by the uncertainty over the future of the event.

Lucy Beere won a silver medal in bowls while 400m hurdler Alastair Chalmers took bronze in Birmingham last year.

The event is the highest level Guernsey can compete at on the international stage, but is under threat.

Victoria, and subsequently Gold Coast, pulled out of hosting the 2026 games while Alberta has ended its 2030 bid.

"We need to know if we need to get qualifying times and standards, so it would be nice to know even if it's on or if it's not because then you can work your seasons out on what you have to enter and what you don't have to enter," Beere told 大象传媒 Radio Guernsey.

"It would be good if they just made a decision, yes or no."

Chalmers became the first Guernsey person to win an athletics medal and also competed at the 2018 Gold Coast games alongside Beere.

He is worried that a delay to 2027, which has been mooted as a possibility to help find a solution, would be troubling.

"If there isn't a Games in 2026, or if they push it back to 2027, it would be a huge disappointment and a real shame for all the countries competing, especially the little ones.

"Last year it was such a great atmosphere in Birmingham, especially for Guernsey with Lucy and myself picking up medals, it shows what can really happen on the big stage.

"In my opinion I think there's probably a lot going on behind the scenes and I'm sure someone will step forward, it might be another city in Australia or the UK, but I think 2026 is looking quite unlikely.

"It's not even that far away now, so hopefully it can still happen, even in 2027."

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Lucy Beere (left) was awarded an MBE after winning silver for Guernsey

Beere says the importance of the Games to smaller nations, such as Guernsey, should not be lost in the conversations surrounding the funding of the event.

"For bowls we are extremely lucky because we compete on a world level.

"But I know that for a lot of the other sports they're not lucky enough to compete at that level, so it is the pinnacle of their career and their aims.

"The Commonwealth Games is a massive thing for me, I've been to four and medalled.

"We had 28 athletes out of however many that were there last year and two from Guernsey got medals, you just can't put that into words."