Thank you gear-ly
A TINY island territory has made a big impact on a local sporting club after donating about $1000 worth of training gear.
Gold Coast Cycling Club president Damien McFarline accepted the kind gesture from the Guernsey Commonwealth Games Cycling Team, which will benefit the club’s up and coming athletes.
Mr McFarline said the team, who are from a 65sq km island in the English Channel, reached out to the cycling club before the Games in the hope of building a relationship with local cycling enthusiasts.
“Guernsey contacted us when they knew they were coming to the Gold Coast for the Commonwealth Games,” Mr McFarline said.
“They sought us out while they were in Guernsey.
“They were keen to make that connection early on, they were keen to support the junior program we have.”
After the Games cycling competitions wrapped up the team donated a range of items including stationary cycling trainers, tools, healing packs and even a uniform.
Mr McFarline said the club’s youngest members will benefit from the team’s kindness.
“(They donated) bicycle trainers, they also donated some tools, and spare equipment for bicycles, they’ve bought a whole heap of gel packs and nutritional stuff,” Mr McFarline said.
“If it’s a rainy day, we can get the kids on the cycle trainers indoors.
“When we go to a race, we can put our members on it to warm up and cool down.
“To think that another country would think of us like that and to seek us out and make a connection, we felt honoured by that.
“We were over the moon.” The team and the club hope to maintain their rapport across the oceans in the future.
“They loved being on the Gold Coast,” Mr McFarline said.
“Unfortunately they missed out on the medals, but they were really competitive.
“They were great guys, talking to our junior members, giving them advice.
“When they come out to the Gold Coast again we’ll have that relationship there.”