WELL known sportsman and physical education teacher Neil MacGregor has been appointed as Team Isle of Man’s first ambassador for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
His appointment has been made by Isle of Man Commonwealth Games Association to help boost support for the island’s national team in the build-up to the Glasgow Games.
IoM CGA is a registered charity responsible for the publicity, fundraising and travel arrangements for the Manx team. Ambassadors are being appointed by the CGA to help raise awareness of its work and to encourage public support for fundraising events as the countdown continues to the 2014 Games.
Neil has made a great contribution to sport in the Isle of Man as a competitor, coach, teacher and administrator spanning nearly four decades. He has been a PE teacher in the island for 36 years, including 10 years at Ballakermeen High School and 20 years at Castle Rushen High School. He has taught PE at Buchan School since 2006 and was recently appointed as the school’s head of prep.
He was the island’s swimming team coach for five years and went to the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh in 1986. He was also coach to our swimmers at the inaugural Island Games in 1985.
Not surprisingly for someone who grew up in Llanelli, South Wales, Neil’s first sport is rugby union. He represented the Isle of Man for 15 years at hooker and captained the side. After calling time on his playing career he became a rugby union coach and has helped school teams make it through to national finals at Twickenham.
Neil currently competes in Ironman triathlons and in 2000 became the first Isle of Man competitor to complete a full Ironman distance event comprising a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run.
In 2010 he finished third in his age category at the prestigious Ironman UK race and became the first triathlete from the Isle of Man to finish on the podium in the event. Since then he has represented Great Britain at the World Triathlon Championships in his age group category.
Neil also took part in the Six Bays Challenge in 2008, raising funds for Team Isle of Man’s squad at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune the same year. Competitors in the Challenge swam across the bays in Castletown, Port St Mary, Port Erin, Peel, Laxey and Douglas - cycling or running between each location - all in one day. As a sports administrator, Neil was a committee member with Isle of Man Sport (formerly Isle of Man Sports Council) and Isle of Man Sport Aid for 10 years.
Commenting on his appointment as a Team Isle of Man Ambassador, Neil said he was extremely happy and flattered by the invitation from IoM CGA and added that he was looking forward to supporting the CGA and Team Isle of Man in the build-up to the next Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.
Juliet Holt, president Isle of Man Commonwealth Games Association, said: ‘We’re delighted that Neil has accepted IoM CGA’s invitation to become one of our team ambassadors. He is one of the island’s most respected sports coaches, teachers and administrators, and with his impeccable background in a number of sports he is an ideal choice for the role.’