15-year-old Jersey table-tennis player Hannah Silcock was interviewed live as part of tonight’s TV broadcast of the 2022 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.
Silcock (pictured below) was among the Jersey competitors, coaches and officials that were warmly welcomed at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham. Cyclist Rhys Hidrio was the proud Jersey flagbearer, leading out the team at the start of his third Commonwealth Games.
Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight was one of the masterminds behind the ceremony, which featured dance, music, and theatrical performances celebrating Birmingham’s past and culture, along with the arrival of the Baton after its global tour of the Commonwealth nations and jurisdictions.
Speaking as part of the BBC One coverage, Silcock said: “I’m overwhelmed. It’s just a great arena and I’m just so honoured to be here. I just feel very lucky and very happy to be here. I appreciated the support from everyone, all my family in Jersey and Scotland, and I wouldn’t be able to do this without them.”
The Jersey squad is set to compete across eight sports over the next two weeks. The competition kicks off tomorrow morning (Friday 29 July) with the lawn bowls team, triathlete Ollie Turner, gymnast Daniel Lee, boxer Tom Frame and Jersey’s seven-strong swimming squad among those in action.
