00:08Lee, what a start to the Commonwealth Games you guys have had. You must be absolutely
00:11delighted to have this going.
00:13Absolutely Dave, yeah. This is only day two and it feels like I've been through the ringer
00:21with the emotions but yesterday was incredible. We came in today wondering how we topped that
00:29and we've done just as good a job I think.
00:33And what a way to start yesterday with a nine second record straight off the bat, I mean
00:38they've kind of set the tone now for the rest of the competition.
00:41Yeah setting the bar high really, the girls took nine seconds off that max record. Every
00:48one of them saw a really really solid effort in doing so and then like they say passed over
00:56to the lads, sort of what have you got. The lads did the same thing, they broke the record
01:01in the morning. Also I'm really good solid times in that relay, qualified for the final
01:07and then they doubled up, they broke record in the overall relay that they'd set that morning
01:13and Joel Watson also broke the first 100 individual, the 100m individual freestyle as a standalone
01:22swim because they go from a start so that will still count.
01:25So what an amazing start really.
01:27Yeah.
01:28And it gives everyone a load of confidence going forward and you've had yet another record
01:32this morning haven't you?
01:33Yeah, well we've had two in this morning's session. Joel Watson went, lowered his own 53 standard.
01:41I'll be honest, I was asking questions in terms of the heat session after a big, a big evening.
01:47There's always a little bit of an adrenaline drop and those sort of things and I'm like,
01:51you know, come on guys, do I need to sort of keep them going? No sign of any sort of
01:56slowing
01:56down there this morning. So Joel, yeah, lots of, lots of PBs, lots of really, really aggressive,
02:04solid heat swims and progressing to, and then, sorry, the relay that we've just done. The mixed
02:124x100 freestyle relay breaks Manx record by another nine seconds. It's starting to become a thing.
02:19They qualify for the final eight. Really, really solid team there. And then actually we've had two
02:26swimmers promoted from reserve one to semifinals. So we've also going to see Ella Justice get another
02:32go at the 100 back and Laura Kinley make another semi-final appearance in the 100 breaststroke.
02:39So yeah, really, really, really sweet that. I can see just a smile on your face. I'm made
02:44up with them, honestly. And just a word on the younger members of the team, because obviously
02:48several of these guys are making their debuts at the games and how have they sort of found it so
02:52far?
02:52Yeah, I think, I think to be honest, there's more than what the, what, what the PBs would suggest,
02:58what, what the, the numbers side of this. This is about experience. There's a lot of these guys that
03:04would be coming here for, to, to, to understand what the Commonwealth Games are about. They're
03:09probably going to be Commonwealth Youth Games contenders next, next year in, in Malta. But no,
03:17I'm really proud of how they've, they've coped. They've managed the, managed the process. They've prepared well.
03:24Um, and like I say, everyone's gone in and, and whether, whether or not the, the times don't
03:30quite say what they'd like them to, the performances, I can't fault them in heart. And that means so much
03:36more.
03:36Absolutely. And, and, and they're also able to lean on the, the more experienced members of the squad,
03:40obviously. You've got, you've had a few that have been to a few games now. I mean, we saw Laura
03:44be the bat
03:44and bear the other night. She made her debut here 12 years ago, didn't she? So, there's plenty of experience
03:49as well on that squad. There's, there's a lot of lessons being learned and a little bit of a,
03:54shall we say, team mateship, uh, a bit, a bit, a bit of winding up, you know, a bit of
04:00getting them,
04:00preparing them for the, for the big wide world when you come out on, out of that, uh, that marshalling
04:06area, you know, but no, there's, there's been a lot of really, really good, positive, uh, lessons and messages.
04:13Good. Well, that's great to hear. And, and also a word on the Manx support, because the Manx flags
04:18everywhere make a hell of a noise whenever the swimmers enter the arena. I mean, it must,
04:22must make a big difference to you all, really. It's amazing. And do you know what? As much as there's,
04:27there's not the same number of Manx as there is Scots or English, they're the loudest out there. And
04:33they're the ones you can hear, you know, the, the flags, our flag stands out. And that's, that's such a,
04:39that's such a moment when you come out and you see those, those Manx flags flying in the, in the
04:43crowd. And the home nation as well, you know. Absolutely. They always, always get back behind
04:48the home nation, so to speak, don't they? Sure, sure. The, uh, the, the, the Manx, uh,
04:51Barmy Army are out in force in the swimming pool, definitely. Great stuff. And just lastly,
04:56just, just a word on the games as a whole, really. Obviously, you were here 12 years ago in, uh,
05:022014.
05:03This is a much, uh, more slimmed down version of the games. How has that been for you? I mean,
05:09has it impacted any routines, anything else that goes around at all, or is it just business as
05:14usual for you guys? I thought it was going to affect more. I thought the, the, the, the scaling
05:19down of the games was going to have a bigger effect on, on the athletes and the, and the occasion.
05:24But realistically, we would be, we would normally be in an athlete village and we travel to the pool,
05:29do what we do, go back to the athlete village, eat, sleep and repeat. And here, it's just a case
05:35if we're actually in a hotel. Um, but we're still doing the same process. Only the food's better.
05:42Am I allowed to say that?
05:44Yeah. And I guess then also, because you guys, you're swimming until Wednesday, I think it is.
05:48That's right, yes.
05:49And you've still got a few days. Are most of you guys going to stick around and try and go
05:53to some other sports and support the old man, or is it just a case or move on to the
05:57next?
05:58Yeah, um, we've, we've, we've got a mixture. A few, a few of them have, I've decided to stay on,
06:04um, and catch a few more of the, of the sports after, after the swimming's finished,
06:09because, you know, we're sports people, we're sports fans. It's not, we're not just swimmers as much as,
06:14we don't get time for much else, er, when, when the competition's happening. Er, but no, the,
06:19a lot of them are staying and then we've got a, we've got a small group that are heading back
06:24to the island for a well-deserved rest, myself included.
06:28Well, of course, coach of the day recently, weren't you, with the, er, the British champs,
06:32so, er, I think you deserve a break, mate.
06:33Well, thank you very much, yeah.
06:35I should actually just ask you about Oscar, and what an incredible weekend that was for you guys,
06:40and for him in particular getting a hat-trick of British titles, what an incredible achievement.
06:44Yeah, he actually got four. He got four?
06:45Yeah, it was, last day he got, er, he got the 200, the 400, the 800 and the 1500.
06:51Erm, I've, I've, I should, I should really share that award with him, because
06:56he did all the work with, er, with, with Jacob Graczynski as well, you know, those lads doing
07:01what they did at British champs, erm, give, looks well on us and looks well on Island Man
07:07Swimming and, and, and the, and the surrounding support networks, you know, what Oscar's been,
07:12he's just shot to, shot to fame, and there's, there's, there's people here saying, is that
07:17that guy that won all their medals, and, and, and, you know, that, that's really nice.
07:20And he got a good, great reception when he was in his heat this morning as well, didn't he?
07:23Oh yeah, yeah, and, and he's, he's getting talked about, you know,
07:26Haha, good, well, I suppose, looking longer term then, obviously, because we've got Island
07:31games, we've got home Island games coming up in a few years time as well, and then obviously
07:35more Commonwealth games and stuff like that. I'm guessing you're already planning for the future,
07:39erm, or is it just a case of getting the Commonwealth games done, and then you can think about those
07:44other things? I'd be lying if I said I was looking past this, this, this next couple of weeks,
07:48things, but in reality, yeah, the future's taking care of itself because of what these
07:53guys are doing. They're, they're bringing through new, new, new talents, fresh blood,
07:58if you like. All of these younger swimmers are taking those messages on, those lessons,
08:03learning from, they'll see how Laura Kinley conducts herself and how she, she manages the
08:09athlete lifestyle stuff, how Joel Waterson and, and Harry Robinson and those guys, Peter Allen,
08:14these, these experienced guys in that respect, how they manage their training, their, their lifestyle
08:21stuff, how much, what they eat, how they rest, all of those are the factors. So, like I say,
08:28I've, I've, I've no, I've no concern to what the future looks like for the Isle of Man
08:31future. It certainly is. Congratulations on you, what a brilliant start and fingers crossed it continues.
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