The Isle of Man Commonwealth Games Association has announced its squad for the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games ©IOMCGA

The Isle of Man Commonwealth Games Association (IOMCGA) has announced a team of eight athletes that will compete at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games in The Bahamas.

Swimmers Joel Watterson, Kazia Whittaker, Emma Hodgson and Euan MacMurchie have been announced in the Manx team.

Thomas Bostock, Will Draper and Tara Ferguson will compete in cycling while athlete David Mullarkey completes the squad and is set to race in the 1,500 metres.

The Games, first staged in 2000, are due to be held between July 19 and 23.

"Not only is it a fantastic experience for these young athletes to be able to compete at international level, but is also a great honour to be representing the Isle of Man," said Basil Bielich, the President of the IOMCGA.

"I'm sure they will do us all proud."

The Thomas A Robinson stadium is set to be a key venue at the Games ©Getty Images
The Thomas A Robinson stadium is set to be a key venue at the Games ©Getty Images

The Isle of Man has won four medals at previous Commonwealth Youth Games, three of them in 2011 when it hosted the event.

It will be the largest international sporting event ever staged in The Bahamas and the biggest edition of the Games with up to 1,300 athletes aged between 14 and 18 set to participate.

The event will see 94 medals contested across athletics, beach soccer, boxing, road cycling, judo, rugby sevens, swimming, tennis and beach volleyball.

The Queen Elizabeth Sports Complex in Nassau will be the main venue hub.

This includes the world-class 15,000-capacity Thomas A Robinson stadium.