Virgin Islands squash players Joe Chapman, left, and Luca Reich, opened for the VI at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games in the United Kingdom on July 29, 2022. Photo: Nathan Clarke

Premier Dr The Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), right, visited the Virgin Islands' athletes and officials at the Athlete's Village in Birmingham on Wednesday, July 27, 2022. Photo: BVIOC

Birmingham 2022 is the 22nd edition of the Commonwealth Games with 11 days of sports comprising 286 sessions, covering 19 sports in which athletes from 72 nations will compete for championship titles.

Reich, who celebrated his 19^th birthday on Friday, pushed his game up a level as he fought for points against Emyr Evans representing Wales.

He came off the squash court at the University of Birmingham venue satisfied with winning some points against the PSA world-ranked 93 player for a match result of 11-1, 11-3, 11-0 to Evans according to a press release on the game play.

Later that same evening, Joe Chapman played his first match of the Birmingham 2022 competing against Abhay Singh of India. Following 3 fast-paced games, where each player made use of all corners of the court, Chapman conceded the match to Singh in 3 games 11-5, 11-5, 11-5.

Chapman, who felt the two of them were well-matched, was satisfied with his performance in the preliminaries. Both Reich and Chapman will play again in the Plate Men’s Singles Round of 32 on Sunday, July 31.

3x3 basketball debut

Meanwhile, the historic 3x3 basketball team will debut at Birmingham 2022 as the first basketball team to represent the territory at the Commonwealth Games in what will be tough matches against more experienced and established teams from large countries. 

Joy Victor, Shauliqua Fahie, Keithrece Smith and Mahkayla Pickering are set to face Canada and England on Saturday, July 30 when they compete in Group B at 3:55pm (10:55am BVI time) and 9:35pm (4:35pm BVI time) respectively.

Matches will be played at a temporary arena that has been constructed at the Smithfield site in the centre of Birmingham. The players have been acclimating and have already met their Canadian opponents since their arrival at the Friendly Games.

“It’s been an eye-opening but good experience for all the athletes who are new to competing at major Games,” said Mark Chapman, Chef de Mission for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Team settle in 'quickly' - Mark Chapman 

“The team has come together and settled quickly and smoothly into a routine at the Athletes’ Village, adapting to the time difference and making sure they get their practice sessions in. Everyone is looking forward to the arrival of the other athletes over the course of the weekend to complete the team,” Chapman added. 

Track and field athletes, Kyron McMaster - the defending 400m hurdles Commonwealth Games champion,  Eldred Henry (shot put), and Deya Erickson (100m hurdles) along with cyclists Darel Christopher Jr and Sam Talbot are due into Birmingham in the next two days.

Track and field competitions start on August  2 and the cyclists compete in their first event - time trial - on August 4.