Optimistic Isle of Wight athletes head for Island Games 2025

Dan Eckersley has recovered from serious injury to take part in the Island Games. <i>(Image: County Press)</i>
Dan Eckersley has recovered from serious injury to take part in the Island Games. (Image: County Press)
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TEAM Isle of Wight's athletics squad will be putting their best foot forward in pursuit of medals in Orkney.

The women's half-marathon will see Carly Scoble, part of the gold medal-winning team in Guernsey, and Bethany Howarth, who will be competing in her first games.

The team will be raring to go when the Island Games get underway on Saturday (July 12).

And even a ruptured Achilles tendon hasn't stopped one of the Island's top runners, Dan Eckersley, from competing in the Island Games.

The Isle of Wight athletics team in 2023.The Isle of Wight athletics team in 2023. (Image: Chantelle Air.) The Ryde Harrier, of Cowes, a two-time winner in the steeplechase event, will be participating in his sixth Island Games.

The 38-year-old engineer, who has recently returned from a six-month injury lay-off, will instead contest his first half-marathon at the games.

His injury has not deterred his passion for running, with the games acting as his "background goal" during recovery.

Despite the lack of competition before the Island Games, Dan remains optimistic.

"Just making the games was a big win for me. That's how I'm going into it — happy to be in it at all and be as competitive as I can."

Other Ryde Harriers joining Dan at the games include Dave Hunt, who will also compete in the half-marathon.



Ellen Williams has been selected for the 5000m and is another debut-maker in Orkney.

Amy Kelland, who won silver in the 10,000m in Guernsey, will be competing in her second games and will also contest the 5,000m, and possibly the half-marathon.

High jumper Charlie Button, who competed in Gibraltar in 2019, makes a welcome return to Team Isle of Wight.

Jacob Patey will be looking to improve on his fifth-place finishes in both the 110m and 400m hurdles in Guernsey.

His twin brother Noah, who has switched from the steeplechase to the 400m hurdles for these games, will join him.

Jacob will also join Charlie in the high jump.

Archie Pearson, the youngest ever athlete to compete at a games in Guernsey, will be running the 1,500m and will hopefully also be on the start line for the 800m.

Sophie Hogton will compete in the women's 100m hurdles alongside Eden Canning, who will be competing in her third games and been a finalist each time.

Both hurdlers will form part of the 4x100m relay squad and Sophie will also compete in the 200m.

Sophie McCallum, a rising sprint talent, will run the 100m and be part of the relay squads.

Holly Whitter will be throwing the javelin and will also be part of the 4x100m sprint relay team, as well as taking on the role of the athletics team masseur.

Finally, Skyler Brown makes the team competing in the shot putt.

She has also been in great form in her sprints and will contest the 100m and be part of the 4x100m squad.

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