At Delhi 2010, Cydonie Mothersille powered to the women's 200 metres title in a time of 22.89sec to write herself into the history books.

This was the first Cayman gold medal, and nobody else from the British Carribbean territory has topped the podium since.

Australia won 74 gold medals in Delhi but when you win just one, it inevitably becomes more special.

Mothersille was greeted by a huge crowd when she returned home to Owen Roberts International Airport, and gifts from adoring sponsors included a new Chevrolet SUV - fittingly coloured gold.

Now, the 2001 World Championship bronze medallist is involved encouraging the next generation.

"She's still active, she's part of the athletics association executive," said Janet Sairsingh, the Cayman Islands Chef de Mission for Birmingham 2022.

"She's very much part of motivating and getting the athletes going, and being part of the administration." 

For smaller teams, Commonwealth Games success does not always have to be winning medals.

At Glasgow 2014, the squash mixed doubles pairing of Cameron Stafford and Marlene West won the opening game against Australia's eventual champions David Palmer and Rachael Grinham, before eventually losing in three.

Then, at Gold Coast 2018, the Cayman duo broke new ground by coming through the group stage and reaching the knock-out round.

"That was good for us," said Sairsingh, the President of the Cayman Islands Squash Association. 

"We're stepping up there."

Sairsingh was also Chef de Mission for the Cayman Islands at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, but with the Games in Japan now been and gone attention can turn to Birmingham.

As well as athletics and squash, Cayman athletes are set to attend in gymnastics, swimming and boxing.

"We have been allocated 21 spots - that would be our team size," said Sairsingh. 

"They may give out one or two additional spots, but for now it's 21. 

"Preparations have begun here, we've had to send in our long list of all of our athletes for the sports that will be represented.

"Therefore all the various sports are in training, and we are just waiting on the final selection of who will make the team."

Cayman Islands have claimed one other medal in their Commonwealth Games history - a bronze for long jumper Kareem Streete-Thompson at Manchester 2002.

Long-distance runner Nick Akers also made headlines after racing in Cayman colours as Nick Vladivar - part of a sponsorship deal with a vodka brand which saw cash funnelled to local sports bodies. In Gold Coast, Kemar Hyman reached the final of the men's 100m.

All of this has helped to generate interest in the Commonwealth Games in the Cayman Islands.

"A number of people have indicated here that they will be going to Birmingham to watch the Games," said Sairsingh.

"It's a direct flight to London Heathrow from here, so everyone is like 'you know what, this will be the first big trip after being locked down for such a long time'. 

"So we're excited to get out of Cayman and go somewhere. 

"We're starting now to put information out there. 

"There's a Facebook/social media person who is getting posts out, just to get Cayman excited about the upcoming Games and supporting our athletes. 

"We'll be doing quite a bit in the upcoming months to help promote the Games and get everyone excited here."

Cayman sport is now beginning to pick up again after the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It had an impact for quite a while as we were in lockdown, and all the sporting facilities were in lockdown," said Sairsingh. 

"It did affect the athletes to some extent, it was a challenge. 

"Everyone had to find alternative means of exercising, whether it be on the road, when we were allowed to go jogging and walking, and when the stadium was closed.

"Once we re-opened, the locals could travel. Some of our athletes who were in university went back and were able to train overseas.

"There were a number of overseas events which started to come back, so they entered those. 

"We were scattered all over as a team because you would go where you could find facilities to train."

Sairsingh has been to every Commonwealth Games since 2010, and has also served as general team manager.

She is a member of the World Squash Federation's Governance and Audit Commission and juggles her various sporting roles with a job in insurance.

To say that all of this keeps her busy is an understatement.

"We're also preparing for the Junior Pan American Games so I had emails going out at 2am this morning," she said.

"I call it my second job."