Isle of Man Gymnastics Association is sending a team to an inter-island competition in Aland next week.

There is no gymnastics in the full Island Games in Guernsey, therefore 10 gymnastics nations from as far afield as Cayman will gather in the Finnish island for the event.

As this is not an official Games event, junior gymnasts are being allowed to compete in their own competition as a preparation for future Games.

There are junior and senior team events as well as two levels of individual competitions and apparatus finals. In addition, the gymnasts have two training days so they are going to be very busy.

But they have been training extremely hard for this event for many months and hopes are high that their hard work will be rewarded.

The Isle of Man delegation consists of: team manager Helen Duggan, welfare officers Tanya Price and Guy Smith, boys coach Jiong Qi, women’s coaches and judges Stacey Garrett and Amanda Keating, plus women’s coach Claire Schreuder.

The gymnastics team comprises the following: Senior boys - Ewan Mcllraith, Harry Eyres, Martin Vorster, Leon Martin, Fraser McKenna; Junior boys - Max Cairnie, Rory Hughes, Joshua Clarkson, Thomas Lamb; Senior girls - Georgia Price, Amara Brogan, Nicole Boruka, Elizabeth Campbell, Aine Matthews, Elise Pease and reserve Naomi Maddrell; Junior girls - Lacey Jackson, Holly Watt, Lily Bosendorfer, Phoebe Keelan, Alice Teare, Betsy Patterson and reserve Phoebe Christian.

Isle of Man Gymnastics Association would like to thank the fund-raising team who have worked tirelessly raising money to enable the gymnasts to take part in this event. Thanks also goes to all the individual sponsors who have contributed to the fund.

In a final push to raise the necessary funds, one of the gymnast’s fathers, Neil Brogan, is going to do a sponsored run round the TT course and will be finishing his run by joining in with the Park Run in Noble’s Park, joined by the gymnasts. Other parents will be serving refreshments and home made cakes in the Hailwood Centre.

Brogan will be starting his run from the Grandstand at 12 midnight tonight (Friday) and the park run is at 9am tomorrow (Saturday).

If anyone would like to sponsor Neil or make a donation, please contact [email protected]