Lowe pleased with performance of Carifta swimmers

ASSISTANT NATIONAL coach Lynval Lowe says that despite the effects that the COVID-19 pandemic had placed on their readiness, he was pleased with Jamaica’s performance at the recently concluded Carifta Swimming Championships in Barbados.

Jamaica returned with a 64-medal haul and accumulated 833.5 points over the four days which saw them finish second overall. The top spot went to The Bahamas, who earned 975 points.

The championships were held for the first time in two years after cancellations of the 2020 and 2021 editions. Lowe said while restrictions limited early preparations, the team benefited from the relaxation of those restrictions in the months leading up to the tournament. That combined with swimmers being able to compete locally with fans back in the stands were helpful.

“Because of the pandemic, we have been in and out of the pool and based on the fact that the pool had to close at a certain hour, we didn’t get as much time in the water as we should. But in the final months leading up to Carifta, we found that everything was opening up,” Lowe told The Gleaner.

“And there were school meets and there were also meets where spectators were allowed inside. One of the things that happened is knowing that the children got their confidence back and they were able to swim for spectators instead of swimming as if they were at a training session.”

Among the most notable performances of the games included Sabrina Lyn, who set a new Carifta Games record in the 15-17 100-metre butterfly, clocking 1:02.14 minutes en route to gold.

STANDOUT MOMENTS

The team of Lyn, Mackenzie Headley, Morgan Cogle and Leanna Wainwright also set a new mark in the 4x50m freestyle relay for the girls’ 15-17 with a time of 1:47.91. While there were other standout moments from the games, Lowe said the boys’ 15-17 4x50m freestyle relay bronze medal was the most rewarding because of the team’s determination to not leave Barbados without a medal.

“Some of them didn’t get any medals and on the last day of the meet, they rallied around each other because nobody expected them to even medal. When you see the motivation and the spirit in them, the vibes that they brought. That relay in which they broke the national record was the best highlight for me as a coach because they didn’t want to leave without getting a medal and they lived up to expectations,” Lowe said.

That team clocked 1:37.59 to break the national record of 1:38.38 which was set in 2018.

According to Lowe, a more loaded calendar involving training camps and meets will be critical to ensuring the momentum from these games is not lost.

daniel.wheeler@gleanerjm.com