Corporal Simon Gaines, who is stationed at RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire, has been selected to represent the Isle of Man at badminton at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

He has played at county level since he was 16 and has represented the Royal Air Force for the last 13 years.

During this period he has won the singles title five times, men's doubles twice and mixed doubles once.

He has represented the Combined Services for 11 years and has been on RAF Combined Services tours to Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, Hong Kong, USA, Jersey, Isle of Man and Orkney.

When on tour in the USA, the RAF team competed in the Washington DC Open and won the men's and mixed titles. The most prestigious competition in which he has played was the Inter-Island Games on three occasions.

This competition, held every two years, involves 25 islands from around the world competing in 23 different sports. Gaines won a bronze medal last year in the open mixed doubles. His best ranking ever in the Badminton Association of England rankings is 29th.

Cpl Gaines has benefited from an RAF Sports Lottery grant which has enabled him to receive extra coaching from one of the five senior coaches in England.

He joined the Air Force in March 1987. Previous postings have been RAF Coningsby, RAF Laarbruch and RAF Bruggen. He arrived at RAF Leeming in April 1993 and is currently employed in the Mechanical Components Flight.

Updated: 11:08 Saturday, June 29, 2002