The Isle of Man’s athletics team performed with great credit during a memorable week in Orkney at the 2025 Island Games. The sun shone almost continuously on the picturesque archipelago off the north coast of Scotland, creating the perfect backdrop for an event that showcased the very best of island sport. The week was a tremendous credit to the Orkney organisers, whose exemplary staging of the Games highlighted exactly what can be achieved – and provided the Isle of Man with a clear benchmark for what needs to be done over the next four years ahead of hosting the Games in 2029.
The Manx athletics squad returned home with a strong medal tally of 15 medals – six gold, four silver, and five bronze – a result consistent with recent Island Games and reflective of both experience and emerging talent within the team. The unity and camaraderie among the group were particularly striking, with senior athletes supporting the debutants throughout the week and fostering an environment in which everyone could thrive.
Christa Cain, in her first Games just days before turning 38, delivered a sensational trio of victories in the 10,000 metres, 5,000 metres, and Half Marathon. Her performance in the 10,000 metres final on the opening evening set the tone for the week – an unrelenting front-running display that saw her break a Games record that had stood since 1997. By halfway through the race she had lapped the entire field, crossing the line almost a full minute inside the old mark. She followed that up with a hard-fought win in the 5,000 metres against a strong local rival, and then produced another dominant display in the Half Marathon, finishing over six minutes clear on a punishing four-lap course with a headwind after the long uphill drag on each lap. Her consistent excellence earned her admiration not just from Manx supporters but from the entire crowd.
Corrin Leeming was similarly dominant in the men’s 10,000 metres and Half Marathon, producing a near carbon-copy of Christa’s opening performance in his own 25-lap final. Taking the lead from the start, he reeled off lap after lap with metronomic precision, lapping the entire field and pushing hard in the closing stages to break a Games record that had stood since 2009 – becoming the first athlete in Island Games history to go under 30 minutes. He backed this up with a commanding win in the Half Marathon, finishing almost four minutes ahead of his nearest challenger. Remarkably, despite the hilly course, he was only just over a minute outside the record, which was set on a much flatter route by a former European Marathon champion.
Regan Corrin had a typically busy and fruitful week. He successfully retained his high jump title, while also winning silver medals in both the long jump and triple jump, and played a key role in both men’s relay squads, helping them to bronze medals in the 4x100m and 4x400m. He also reached the 100 metres final, further underlining his incredible versatility and athleticism across sprint and field events.
One of the most historic moments of the week came from Georgia Price, who continued her impressive transition from gymnastics to athletics by becoming the first Manx woman ever to medal in the triple jump at the Island Games. Her silver medal was richly deserved, especially considering she only began competing seriously during the indoor season earlier this year.
Aimee Christian, in her second Games, repeated her bronze medal performance in the 400m hurdles from 2023 – but did so in a time six seconds quicker than two years ago. Her marked improvement reflects the work she’s put in since Guernsey and confirms her as a serious contender in future editions.
Among the standout performers of the week was Sam Perry, who proved once again what a class act he is over middle distance. The fields in the 800m and 1500m were extremely competitive this year, but Sam rose to the occasion. In the 1500m, he used his trademark finishing speed to surge past three rivals on the final bend to claim bronze. He followed that with an even stronger showing in the 800m, unleashing a blistering final sprint to take silver, and recording the fourth-fastest time in Games history for the event. He rounded off his week by helping the men’s 4x400m team to bronze, capping a brilliant personal medal haul. Ryan Corrin also ran strongly in that race, finishing seventh individually in the 800m.
The women’s sprints saw Carla Teece and Meghan Pilley post highly competitive times in the 100 metres final, though on this occasion they narrowly missed out on medals. Given the high standards of sprinting at the Games, their times would have medalled in many previous editions, and both are clearly on the cusp of success.
Other athletes who impressed across the sprint and one-lap events included Ben Sinclair, Daniel Stewart-Clague, Lucy Ormsby, and Matt Davis, all of whom competed with distinction. Ben, in particular, came agonisingly close to a medal in the 400 metres.
The Games also gave a platform to a number of younger and first-time athletes, who showed great promise. Jessica Schreuder, on her debut, finished a superb sixth in the women’s triple jump, while Tegan Thompson, in her second Games, came fourth in the high jump.
Corbyn Schade took on a brave front-running role in the early stages of the men’s 5,000 metres, leading for several laps in a high-quality field before finishing strongly. Lucas Stennett ran well in the same race until illness unfortunately struck near the end, though thankfully he recovered by the following day.
The youngest athlete in the squad, Hope Lewis, performed with great heart to reach the 800 metres final, gaining valuable experience in her first Games and showing the determination that will surely serve her well in years to come.
Perhaps the most disappointing moment of the week came in the heat of the women’s 4×100 metres relay, where the team unfortunately failed to get the baton round. It was a heartbreaking moment, but one that even the best teams in the world – such as the USA in the Olympic final – have experienced. The entire squad and management rallied around the quartet afterwards in a show of support.
The men’s relay teams both medalled with bronze. The 4×100 quartet of Seb Sgouraditis, Ben Sinclair, Regan Corrin, and Daniel Stewart-Clague ran the third-fastest time ever by an Isle of Man team at the Games. The 4×400 team of Regan Corrin, Ryan Corrin, Sam Perry, and Ben Sinclair clocked the best Isle of Man time at the Island Games since 2011 – a real highlight to close their campaigns.
The women’s Half Marathon team of Christa Cain, Dawn Atherton, and Emily Mylchreest secured a hard-earned team bronze on the final day. The men’s trio of Corrin Leeming, Mark Burman, and Jordan Cain missed out on bronze by the narrowest of margins after an excellent collective effort.
The success of the team was made possible not only by the athletes themselves but also through the tireless support of Petra Atchison (Team Manager), Steve Partington (Assistant Team Manager), and physio Mathew Harrison, who all worked around the clock. Their dedication, both during the Games and in the months leading up to them, along with the generous contributions of sponsors, helped reduce financial barriers and ensure the athletes could perform at their best.
It was a memorable week for Manx athletics in the Orkney sunshine, and one that will live long in the memory of all involved. As attention now turns to the Faroe Islands in 2027, and beyond that to hosting the Games in 2029, the Isle of Man can take pride in both its performances and its people.
David Griffiths
