The International Island Games Association is an organization that has member nations which consist of small European islands and territories. A total of 24 such member islands celebrate a biannual sporting event in the form of Island Games. This event began in 1985, with badminton featuring since the first edition.
Badminton sees participation from 18 of the 24 members of the International Island Games Association as of 2024. The sport is played in the men’s singles and doubles, women’s singles and doubles, mixed doubles, and team events.
All matches are played in the best of three sets format. A set is won when a team or player wins 21 points with a difference of two. At 20-20, play continues till one of the players has a clear lead of two points to win the set.
Guernsey has been the most dominating island nation in the Island Games in badminton. They have a total of 41 gold medals out of their total tally of 134 medals as of 2024. Except women’s singles, Guernsey have the maximum gold medals for each discipline. In women’s singles, Jersey leads with five gold medals.
Darren le Tissier is the most successful male player, having won a record three men’s singles and a record four men’s doubles titles. The women’s singles has seen three players win two gold medals each – Sally Poger, Elizabeth Cann, Elena Johnson. Kimberly Clague has been a part of the most women’s doubles winning side (4). Sarah Garbutt ne Le Moigne holds the record for winning five mixed doubles gold medals.
