Franklin defended her title in the race from four years ago in Gibraltar by winning a competitive final in 4min 20.42sec at Footes Lane, beating Cari Hughes of Ynys Môn by just 0.86sec.

Marina Bagur Olives of Menorca took bronze in 4:33.37.

There were two athletics golds today for the Isle of Man, with Joe Harris dominating the men's javelin as he threw 68.95 metres.

Rauno Liitmäe of Saaremaa was his closest challenger with 60.37m, and James Bougourd of Guernsey placed third with 53.79m.

Saaremaa won two athletics golds through Linda Kivistik, who threw 12.55m in the women's shot put and led a one-two with Airike Kapp's 11.75m effort, and Kaur Kivistik who clocked 9:48.83 to beat Isle of Wight's Daniel Eckersley by 0.27 in the men's 3,000 metres steeplechase.

Ynys Môn's Iolo Hughes triumphed in a closely-fought men's 1500m final in 3:52.25, Jersey's Olivia Allbut clocked 1:01.40 for women's 400m hurdles gold and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Alastair Chalmers finished the day with victory for the hosts as he won the men's 400m hurdles in a Games record 49.83, with team-mate Peter Curtis placing second in 51.70.

Peter Allen provided one of the performances of the day for Isle of Man in swimming, winning the men's 100m butterfly gold in 55.09 by 0.31 ahead of Jersey's Robert Jones at the Beau Sejour Leisure Centre and following it with victory in the 200m freestyle in 1:51.89.

Isle of Man have moved to third on the medals table with nine golds, including their first in cycling through Sacha Horsthuis and Kirree Quayle in the women's team mountain bike criterium at Delaney Park.

Menorca's Nuria Bosch Picó had won the individual event in 34:00.85.

Jersey sit second on the medals table with 18 golds, helped by winning the first table tennis event of the Games.

Hannah Silcock won her women's singles match 11-7, 8-11, 12-10, 5-11, 12-10 against Alice Edwards and combined with sister Kathryn Silcock to beat Edwards and Dawn Morgan 11-5, 11-8, 7-11, 11-9 in the women's doubles which helped Jersey to beat Guernsey 4-0 in the team final.

Gotland and Isle of Wight took bronzes.

Rhys Hidrio was another gold medallist for Jersey, his time of 42:15.72 in the men's individual mountain bike criterium beating James Roe of Guernsey by just 0.68.

Guernsey won the men's team event, and continue to lead the medals table with 26 golds overall.

Among their day three successes, Catherine Bonsall, Alison Merrien and Shirley Petit earned the first indoor bowls gold at the Guernsey Indoor Bowls Stadium with a 20-6 victory against the Falkland Islands in the open triples final.

The Island Games is due to run until Friday (July 14), with tomorrow featuring more medal opportunities in athletics, cycling, swimming and table tennis.