Orkney Athletes at the Island Games

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Orkney athletes have attended every edition of the International Island Games going back to the very first games in 1985. This page is intended as a history of our island’s participation at the games, a record of the athletes who travelled, the medals they won and the records they set.

Total Island Games Medals:

20 Gold, 29 Silver, 22 Bronze

Most Successful Games:

By Golds: Orkney 2025 – 11 medals: 5 Gold, 4 Silver, 2 Bronze

By Medal Count: Isle of Man 1985 – 14 medals: 3 Gold, 6 Silver, 5 Bronze

Most Successful Athlete:

By Golds: Taylah Spence/Paterson – 4 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze between 2015-2025

By Medal Count: Linda Low – 2 Gold, 4 Silver & 4 Bronze medals between 1987-2001

Most Appearances:

Nigel Thomson – 14 consecutive games between 1985-2011

Games Records:

Women’s 4x100m Relay (Sian Smith, Taylah Paterson, Charlotte Hume & Abi Coltherd) 47.17s

Top 25 Games Performers: (per David Griffiths’ excellent Facebook Group)

  • Women’s 200m: 3rd Taylah Paterson (24.22s 2025), 15th Abi Coltherd (25.20s 2025), 23rd Mags MacRae (25.46s 2009)
  • Women’s 1500m: 3rd Anna Tait (4:24.15 2017)
  • Women’s 5000m: 4th Anna Tait (16:45.06 2017)
  • Women’s Shot Put: 11th Helen Cromarty (12.18m 2007), 22nd Linda Low (11.10m 1997), 23rd Claire Wilson (11.04m 2009)
  • Men’s Shot Put: 19th Calum Elder (14.00m 2025)
  • Men’s 400m Hurdles: 9th Dougie Thom (53.46s 1997)
  • Women’s 400m Hurdles: 20th Charlotte Hume (64.84s 2025)
  • Men’s Javelin: 11th Jeremy Smyth (58.98m 2001)
  • Women’s High Jump: =19th Amy Davis (1.61m 2025), =24th Sarah MacPhail (1.60m 2013)

Full Island Games History:

Orkney 2025 – 5 Gold, 4 Silver, 2 Bronze

  • Gold Women’s 100m Taylah Paterson 11.90s
  • Gold Women’s 200m Taylah Paterson 24.22s
  • Gold Women’s High Jump Amy Davis 1.61m
  • Gold Women’s 4x100m (Sian Smith, Taylah Paterson, Charlotte Hume, Abi Coltherd in the final, Effie Thomson ran in the heat instead of Paterson) 47.17s
  • Gold Women’s 4x400m (Charlotte Hume, Taylah Paterson, Abi Coltherd, Emily McArthur) 3:50.97
  • Silver Women’s 400m Emily McArthur 56.84s
  • Silver Women’s 800m Emily McArthur 2:13.23
  • Silver Women’s 50000m Anna Tait 16:51.77
  • Silver Men’s Shot Put Calum Elder 14.00m
  • Bronze Women’s Javelin Thora Cant 37.88m
  • Bronze Women’s 1500m Anna Tait 4:36.19

Athletes attending: Thora Cant, Emma Coffey, Abi Coltherd, Ryan Coltherd, Katie Cubbon, Amy Davis, Millie Dennison, Calum Elder, Ewan Foubister, Lillie Giggle-Bain, David Grant, Bobby Harcus, Connor Harcus, Magnus Harrold, Charlotte Hume, Aly Kemp, Lucy Kenyon, Ava Luke, William MacDonald, Ali Mackenzie, Mags MacRae, Erika Marwick, Emily McArthur, Craig Moar, Taylah Paterson, Yvonne Rendall, Rhys Robinson, Jenna Scott, Sian Smith, Jamie Sutherland, Anna Tait, Effie Thomson, Max Tulloch, Molly Tulloch, Gary Ward, Jennifer Bichan, Gerard Enemmuo

Guernsey 2023 – 1 Bronze

  • Bronze Women’s 10,000m Aly Kemp 37:26.13

Athletes attending: Amy Davis, Ewan Foubister, Lillie Giggle, Bobby Harcus, Charlotte Hume, Aly Kemp, Lucy Kenyon, Max Linklater, Ava Luke, Ali Mackenzie, Erika Marwick, Emily McArthur, Craig Moar, Zander Scott, Tegan Spence, Effie Thomson

Gibraltar 2019 – 2 Silver, 1 Bronze

  • Silver Taylah Spence Women’s 200m 24.65s
  • Silver Women’s 4x400m Relay Team 3:58.34 (Erika Marwick, Tegan Spence, Taylah Spence, Alice Tait)
  • Bronze Amy Davis Women’s High Jump 1.56m

Athletes attending: Alexander Scott, Angus Davren, Taylah Spence, Sian Smith, Ellen Hay, Tegan Spence, Alice Tait, Gregor Dowell, Emma Horne, Ross Sinclair, Erika Marwick, Amy Davis, Kally Milne, Shannon Pasotti

Gotland 2017 – 2 Gold, 1 Bronze

  • Gold Anna Tait Women’s 1500m 4:24:15 (IIGA Record)
  • Gold Anna Tait Women’s 5000m 16.45.06 (IIGA Record)
  • Bronze Taylah Spence Women’s 100m 12.68s

Athletes: Balfour Hay, Taylah Spence, Mia MacIver, Tegan Spence, Sam Rendall, Jamie Clouston, Anna Tait, Timothy Ross, Paul Kerr, Amy Davis, Erin Montgomery, Molly Cant, Andrew Rendall, Aimee Leask

Jersey 2015 – 1 Silver, 1 Bronze

  • Silver Women’s Javelin Thora Cant 38.32m
  • Bronze Men’s 4x100m Relay 43.30 (Andrew Davis, James Flett, Fergus Macivor, Gordon Mowat)

Athletes: Fergus Macivor, Gordon Mowat, Taylah Spence, Amy Davis, Gordon Mowat, James Flett, Andrew Davis, Sarah MacPhail, Correen Davis, Magnus Bichan, Jack Duncan, Jennifer Bichan, Aimee Leask, Timothy Ross, Paul Kerr, Kirstin Flett, Joe Gregg, Balfour Hay, Alex Morgan Stevenson, Joe Gregg, Erin Montgomery, Thora Cant 

Bermuda 2013 – 3 Silver, 1 Bronze

  • Silver Men’s 10k Thomas Fay 32:43.79
  • Silver Men’s Half Marathon Thomas Fay 1:17:08
  • Silver Women’s Javelin Thora Cant 37.51m
  • Bronze Men’s Half Marathon Team – Thomas Fay & Paul Kerr

Athletes: Magnus Blair, Jodie Drever, David Miller, Thomas Fay, Paul Kerr, Sarah MacPhail, Jeremy Smyth, Calvin Cooper, Thora Cant

Isle of Wight 2011 – No medals

Athletes: James Flett, Gordon Mowat, Thomas Newton, James Watson, Calvin Cooper, Carly Kirkpatrick, Nigel Thomson

Aaland 2009 – 1 Silver, 1 Bronze

  • Silver Women’s Shot Put Claire Wilson 11.04m
  • Bronze Women’s 200m Mags MacRae 25.46s

Athletes: Gordon Mowat, James Flett, Carolynn Leslie, Nigel Thomson, Mags MacRae, Tom Newton, David Miller, Aly Bain, Torquil Clyde, Iain Nelson, Claire Wilson

Rhodes 2007 – 1 Bronze

  • Bronze Women’s Shot Put Helen Cromarty 12.18m

Athletes: Gordon Mowat, Nigel Thomson, Neil Gray, Mags MacRae, Bryony Muir, Ronald Gray, Neil Gray, Aly Bain, David Miller, Joanna Walker, Helen Cromarty, Claire Wilson

Shetland 2005 – 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze

  • Gold Women’s Half Marathon Joanna Walker 1:25:31
  • Gold Women’s Shot Put Helen Cromarty 11.76m
  • Silver Men’s 400m Neil Gray 48.93s
  • Bronze Men’s 800m David Miller 1:58.84
  • Bronze Women’s 4x400m Relay Team 4:03.98 (Aly Bain, Jordan Fogarty, Mags MacRae, Bryony Muir)

Athletes: Nigel Thomson, Bryony Muir, Mags MacRae, Neil Gray, Jordan Fogarty, David Miller, Ronald Gray, Thomas Fay, Aly Bain, Joanna Walker, Helen Cromarty, Karen Wood

Guernsey 2003 – No medals

Athletes: Nigel Thomson, Linda Low, Jeremy Smyth

Isle of Man 2001 – 2 Silver

  • Silver Women’s Hammer Throw Linda Low 36.24m
  • Silver Men’s Javelin Jeremy Smyth 58.98m

Athletes: Muriel Shearer, Kevin McKay, Rachel Cursiter, K Palmer, Nigel Thomson, Gareth Thomson, Rosie Cursiter, Craig Shearer, Jonathan Spence, Ruth Pottinger, Linda Low, Jeremy Smyth, Dianne Norquay, Keith Shearer

Gotland 1999 – 1 Silver, 1 Bronze

  • Silver Men’s Javelin Jeremy Smyth 55.61m
  • Bronze Women’s Hammer Linda Low 37.82m

Athletes: Graeme Miller, Douglas Thom, Jeremy Smyth, Nigel Thomson, James Scott,  Jonathan Spence, Marie Wylie, Linda Low

Jersey 1997 – 3 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze

  • Gold Men’s 200m Douglas Thom 22.29
  • Gold Men’s 400m Hurdles Douglas Thom 53.46
  • Gold Men’s Javelin Jeremy Smyth 58.74
  • Silver Women’s Hammer Linda Low 39.38m
  • Bronze Women’s Shot Put Linda Low 11.1m

Athletes: Nigel Thomson, Douglas Thom, Craig Shearer, Robert Cross, Jeremy Smyth, Rachel Stockan, Muriel Thomson, Aline Cross, Linda Low, Julie Shearer

Gibraltar 1995 – 2 Bronze

  • Bronze Women’s Javelin Linda Low 36.88m
  • Bronze Women’s Shot Put Linda Low 10.05m

Athletes: Nigel Thomson, Peter Morrison, Will Cotterill, Mark Williams, Grant Cumming, John Scott, Jeremy Smyth, Linda Low

Isle of Wight 1993 – 1 Silver

  • Silver Women’s Javelin Linda Low 39.94m

Athletes: Nigel Thomson, Grant Cumming, Chris Cotterill, Sean Cumming, Robert Cross, Claire Beaton, Helen Batty, Aline Cross, Linda Low

Aland 1991 – 1 Gold, 1 Bronze

  • Gold Men’s Hammer Robert Cross 43.62m
  • Bronze Women’s Discus Aline Cross 29.60m

Athletes: Nigel Thomson, Grant Cumming, Helen Cromarty, Sharon Thomson, Aline Cross, Marie Wylie, Myra Frazer, Claire Beaton, Sean Cumming, Chris Cotterill, Scott Milne, Linda Low, Claire Beaton, Robert Cross, Graham Wylie, David Flanagan

Faroes 1989 – 3 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze

  • Gold Women’s Javelin Linda Low 36.78m
  • Gold Women’s Shot Put Linda Low 9.95m
  • Gold Women’s Discus Aline Cross 32.04m
  • Silver Women’s Discus Marie Wylie 29.78m
  • Silver Women’s Shot Put Marie Wylie 9.61m
  • Silver Men’s Discus Robert Cross 33.92m
  • Bronze Men’s Javelin David Flanagan 47.52m

Athletes: Aline Cross, Grant Cumming, Nigel Thomson, Sean Cumming, Linda Low, Marie Wylie, Cullen Burns, Robert Cross, David Flanagan

Guernsey 1987 – 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze

  • Gold Women’s Shot Put Marie Wylie 10.26m
  • Silver Women’s Discus Linda Low 9.17m
  • Bronze Women’s 4x100m Relay Team 57.5s
  • Bronze Women’s 4x400m Relay Team 4.53.3s

Athletes: Adrian Askew, Robert Cross, Stuart Gray, Steve Hogley, Robert Leslie, Ian MacGruer, Michael Reid, Paul Ross, Kevin Tait, Ivan Taylor, Nigel Thomson, Graham Wylie, Elizabeth Anderson, Terrah Elliot, Doris Leonard, Linda Low, Morna Mackay, Fiona Mackie, Lynn Moar, Hilary Rendall, Pauline Walker, Marie Wylie

Isle of Man 1985 – 3 Gold, 6 Silver,  5 Bronze

  • Gold Women’s 200m Hilary Donaldson 28.0s
  • Gold Men’s Shot Put Ian MacGruer 11.28m
  • Gold Women’s 100m Hilary Donaldson 13.4s
  • Silver Women’s 3000m Fiona Mackie 12.09.4
  • Silver Women’s 4x100m Relay Team 54.8s
  • Silver Women’s Discus Lynn Moar 29.40m
  • Silver Women’s High Jump Hilary Donaldson 1.45m
  • Silver Men’s 200m John Scott 24.9s
  • Silver Women’s Javelin Lynn Moar 24.82m
  • Bronze Women’s 100m Hurdles Lorraine Gilmour 21.8s
  • Bronze Women’s 800m Pauline Walker 2.53.2
  • Bronze Women’s 1500m Fiona Mackie 5.32.5
  • Bronze Men’s 4x100m Relay Team 47.5s
  • Bronze Women’s Shot Put Marie Wylie 9.18m

Athletes: Nigel Thomson, John Scott, Stuart Gray, Nigel Reid, Ivan Taylor, Gordon Wilson, Ian MacGruer, Hilary Donaldson, Lynn Moar, Lorraine Gilmour, Terrah Elliot, Caroline Budge, Fiona Mackie, Marie Wylie, Karen Hogley, Pauline Walker