Top Cyclist Mayho To Be Flag-Bearer In Jersey
The honour of representing your country as the flag-bearer is a highly sought after position, and this year the honour of presenting the island’s flag at Saturday’s opening ceremony of the NatWest Island Games in Jersey goes to cyclist Dominque Mayho.
The Jersey Games will be Mr. Mayho’s third NatWest Island Games appearance, having represented Bermuda in cycling in Isle of Wight in 2011 and Bermuda in 2013. Currently a member of the ‘Ride With Rendall’ team of Canada, Ms. Mayho has been Bermuda national champion in road disciplines and mountain biking.
He will compete in the 2015 Toronto Pan Am Games in July.
Mr. Mayho said, “I’m honored to be selected by the Bermuda Island Games Association to be Bermuda’s flag bearer for the 2015 NatWest Island Games.”
The NatWest Games has a unique ceremony – that of the Water Ceremony. In this ceremony, every island pours water from their island to mingle with that from all the other islands into a ceremonial vessel, representing the friendship and camaraderie that the Games bring to this unique collection of island athletes.
“This year, the person selected to perform this ceremony on behalf of Bermuda is Katrin Burnie, one of the island’s top female golfers. This will be her fifth NatWest Island Games; in Rhodes 2007, the golf team won bronze, and in Åland in 2009 won gold. In the Isle of Wight 2011, Bermuda came fourth, and in Bermuda 2013 we came fifth,” a spokesperson said.
“Ms. Burnie qualified to play in the Ladies Senior Amateur British Open at West Kilbride GC, Ayrshire, Scotland in 2011 and at Hunstanton GC, Norfolk, England in 2012. She won The Bermuda Amateur Stroke Play in 2010 and 2011, the Ladies Senior Amateur Stroke Play this year, and is the ladies champion of both Ocean View and Mid-Ocean.
“It is very appropriate that Ms. Burnie is our presenter at this ceremony as her husband Dr. Neil Burnie, who died this year, was a true lover of our ocean; Dr. Burnie loved windsurfing and among many medals won, he also has the around Bermuda record with a time of 2 hours 11 minutes.
“Many windsurfers have tried to break the record but no-one has come close as of yet.
“In 2011, Dr. Burnie got a team together to compete in The NatWest Island Games in Isle of Wight; they won gold in the team event and Scott Mello from Bermuda won individual bronze. In Bermuda 2013, Dr. Burnie was again in charge of the windsurfing team and organized a spectacular event at Spanish Point.
“On a day off, he took some of the competitors out on his boat and they went swimming with tiger sharks.
Katrin Burnie, and Sy Olson-McPeek:
A spokesperson said, “Once the opening ceremony is completed, the athletes will be ready for six days of top sporting competition. The competition is fierce in these Games, and although the cost of travel prevents us from presenting the same number of athletes, we still hope to perform well and to be in the top ten of the medallists.
“We expect much from Dominique and the cycle team. They are up against very strong teams especially from Jersey and Guernsey, but we are hopeful of some good finishes. Our distance runners will be out to prove their strength on an international stage. The team looks very strong, and has traditionally done well in the Games.
“The track team is a blend of youth and experience and hopefully will be able to help each other along. Badminton and Shooting have both shown terrific improvement due to their involvement in the Games and it would be a real coup if we could grab a medal in one of these disciplines.
“Our golfers have always been among the medals and we expect them to be among the leaders again. The triathletes are proven competitors and much will depend on the course and conditions. Archery has seen resurgence in Bermuda and we are hoping for a strong-showing there.
“Our tennis teams have fought some epic battles in the Games, and so now it is the turn of the younger players to step up and show their mettle. The sailors and sail-boarders are always fighting for the medals and they have a rich blend of youth and experience.
“Our volleyball and basketball teams have been a part of the Bermuda Team in the Games since we made our debut in 2003. The volleyball teams have experienced highs and lows in the Games both for the indoor and the Beach teams. With a number of young Bermudians now in the squad we are hopeful for a firm foundation to build on in these Games.
“The Bermuda Basketball team has been the Games champions for the last few Games, constantly creating nail-biting finishes. Although many of the team will just have returned from the Caribbean Championships we expect much from them.
“Our gymnasts will compete in Yns Mon [Anglesey] where we have high expectations of success. This group has been a dominant force in the Games since 2005.
“Although much of the costs for the Games fall on the individual athletes and officials Bermuda’s participation in the Jersey Games would not be possible without the generosity of our sponsors, including Sun Life Financial International, the Bank of Bermuda Foundation, Butterfield and Vallis, Bermuda Timing, the Berkeley Institute Class of 84 for Natasha Trott, and an anonymous donor for the Gymnastics Team.”
