En öspelsdag i några bilder

Dag ett var en händelserik dag, som vanligt. När det drar ihop sig till öspel och NatWest Island Games står det aldrig stilla. Det är möten med politiker, sponsorer, allmänhet, tävlande, domare och tusen andra. Det är allt igenom en otrolig upplevelse att träffa så många framåtinriktade människor.

Öspel och idrott handlar om att alltid och jämnt välja att se det som är positivt och bra, inte det som för ögonblicket upplevs som mindre bra. Man väljer alltid själv vägen och öspelen har valt att se ljust på vår gemensamma framtid. Eller som min gamle kompis Abraham Lincoln brukade säga:

Most of us are just about as happy as we make up our minds to be.”
I ett möte med sponsorer och politiker sade jag inför öspelsöppningen därför följande:
Dear friends, today is a day of sport and joy and friendship. Soon we will watch while thousands of competitors from our 24 member islands will march into this beautiful Howard Davis Park in the capital of Jersey. We will witness the Opening Ceremony of the 16th NatWest Island Games, a movement that has change the lives in our member islands. Thanks to the efforts of all of you we will enjoy a wonderful week of sport.

The International Island Games Association started as a vision back in 1985 in Isle of Man. The outcome is better than anyone could ever dreamt of. The NatWest Island Games have since then developed sports and people all over the world. All together eleven Host Islands have so far taken the responsibility to keep our movement going. It is a tough challenge. Bringing 3.000 people together is not easy wherever it happens, especially not from different islands. But because of that it is extra important to do it. Island life is different and islanders do not have the same opportunity to compete against others as mainlanders do. Borders are there to be broken. Obstacles to overcome. 
The journey towards this magic night in St Helier started an exciting afternoon in Isle of Wight the year of 2010. At the very same day as today Phil Austin managed to convince a majority of our member islands that Jersey is the best alternative for the 16th NatWest Island Games. And that’s why we are here today. Since then Phil and his Organising Committee have worked day and night in order to meet the expectations from their visitors. I am convinced they will do that and more. Its not only them. Its the Jersey Government and all the politicians, volunteers, Waitrose Gamemakers and other local sponsors. On behalf of the international Executive Committee I thank you all.

The NatWest Island Games would never happen without leadership, enthusiasm, cooperation, stubborness and many laughs. I often get the question why so many people like yourself work so hard in order to compete in sport. The answer is simple. We want people to grow, we want societies to get stronger and we want our youngsters to be brave. We are offering our Member Islanders an unique opportunity to do all this during an intense week of sport. We want them to arrive as islanders and return home as friends.

Finally. The previous Games in Jersey took place 1997. That resulted in a partnership with NatWest. Since 1999 in Gotland we have organised NatWest Island Games which has contributed to better result, more professional organisations and a legacy that will last forever. On behalf of the International Island Games Association I would like to express our thanks to NatWest, Adrian Gill, Steve Camm and everyone else for this reception today and for an outstanding friendship that have developed sport and people in our member islands. Over the years we have become friends. We are working together in order to strengthen people and islands and friendship by bringing islands together. We are the pure alternative in the world of sport, we encourage friendship, we want people to grow by compete towards each other.

The week that starts tomorrow will include 900 different competitions. Please make sure to watch as many of them as you ever can. Remember that this can only happen if we work together and help each other. The NatWest Island Games is today a major event and hard evidence that friendship works and makes a difference.
Här är några bilder från gårdagen:

Storbritanniens vassaste släggkastare och vännen Andy Frost tog ett av de första gulden i årets NatWest Island Games. Tillsammans med Andy som tävlat i OS och VM och mycket mer planterade jag en gång ett träd. Det saknas inte styrka i denna muskulösa kropp. Andy står förresten till vänster, jag till höger. 
Nya Åland Oskar Magnusson och Johan Orre (skymd) intervjuar triatleterna Marcus Brandt och Hubert von Frenckell. Nya Åland har varit på hugget detta öspel!
Marcus Brandt simmade, cyklade och sprang på ett sätt som bara kan beskrivas som imponerande. Dessutom är han alltid på gott humör vilket är den viktigaste egenskapen av dem alla.
En liten display utanför badmintonhallen.
Min dag i går började förresten med ett tekniskt möte tillsammans med pistolskyttar från alla medlemsöar.
Det var såklart omöjligt att inte dras in i dansen under öppningsceremonin. Tur det! Tack till Jay för bilden.

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