Team Isle of Man's flag bearer chosen for Commonwealth Games opening ceremony

Para-powerlifter Alfie Bezance will have the honour of leading Team Isle of Man into Thursday evening’s Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in Glasgow.

The teenager has been chosen to be the team’s flag bearer for the event at the Hydro, which is the first indoor opening ceremony in the history of the Games.

Experienced swimmer Laura Kinley will be the team’s baton bearer for the ceremony which officially kicks off the 10-day jamboree of sport.

At only 17 years of age, Alfie will be Team Isle of Man’s youngest ever flag bearer. He is already ranked 11th in the Commonwealth in the para-powerlifting discipline, and in 2025 he won the British Under-23 Championships against able-bodied athletes, breaking the unofficial world record for a junior athlete in doing so.

His success resulted in him being selected on the Team GB pathway for the 2028 Paralympics in Los Angeles.

Glasgow 2026 will be Laura’s fourth appearance at a Commonwealth Games, where she will compete in the Tollcross pool in the 50m and 100m breaststroke events.

With Laura’s first Games appearance being Glasgow 2014, her role representing the Isle of Man as baton bearer and as a key member of the swimming squad means she’s returning to the city where it all began 12 years ago.

Some of the island’s 25-strong team for the Games have already made their way to Glasgow. The island’s bowlers are the first in action on Thursday when Mark McGreal, Caroline Whitehead and Paula Garrett begin their respective campaigns at the Scottish Exhibition Centre.

Full preview in Thursday’s Manx Independent.