Gold in shooting and high jump at Guernsey Games
Rob Watterson and Mark Riley won the first Manx gold of the games
At a glance
The Isle of Man wins six medals on day one of the Island Games
Rob Watterson and Mark Riley won gold in the Olympic Trap shooting team event
In his debut, Regan Corrin claimed gold in the high jump
There were also silver and bronze medals in the high jump, triathlon and tennis
- Published
Manx athletes have made a strong start at the Island Games in Guernsey with a medal haul of six on the opening day of action.
Rob Watterson and Mark Riley secured the island's first gold in the Olympic Trap shooting team event.
Meanwhile, debutant Regan Corrin was the only competitor to clear 1.95m to win gold in the men's high jump.
It means the Isle of Man sits in third place in the medals table.
Sixteen-year-old Corrin said he was "buzzing" and the day "couldn't have gone any better".
He said: "It feels brilliant, it's one of the first events, I just want to motivate the team now for the rest of the week".
His teammate, James Margrave, who took bronze in Gibraltar, went one better to win silver in the 2023 event.
Regan Corrin (right) secured gold in the high jump in his first Island Games
While Watterson said he was surprised by the team's result in the shooting, beating Sark by just one point, Riley said it was his teammate's consistency that had "paid off".
"I just chipped in with a couple of half decent scores, and that's what won it really", Riley added.
Earlier in the day the Isle of Man's first medal of the Guernsey Games came in the triathlon at a picturesque La Rocquaine Bay.
Will Draper took third spot in the individual race, with the men’s team also taking home bronze.
Draper praised the course and the crowds of people who cheered on the competitors.
Island Games 2023: Bronze medals for Manx triathletes
He said he knew it was "going to be competitive" between himself and the second and first placed athletes from Jersey and Guernsey, but he was "happy to even just make it round the run" following an injury to his Achilles heel.
Meanwhile in a late finish on day one, the women's tennis team claimed a further bronze for team Isle of Man after losing 3-0 to Jersey.
The Isle of Man's men's team finished third in the triathlon event
The Isle of Man features in 13 of the 14 sports at the games, which run until 14 July.
Nine of the Manx teams got their campaigns underway on day one, and Monday will see the first cycling, swimming and archery events of the competition.
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