Local swimmers make big splash in T&T

Jamaica, with one of the smallest contingents to the recently concluded Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad and Tobago Invitational Swimming Championships, mined a whopping 19 medals at the development meet.

The event began last Thursday in Couva, and ended two days later, with Jamaica's eight budding swimmers making their marks in the event, which featured over 35 teams.

There were gold medals for; Jordane Payne in the boys' 100m butterfly, 200m butterfly and 800m freestyle, respectively.

Zaneta Alvaranga copped three gold medals in the girls' 50m and 100m freestyle, as well as the 50m butterfly.

Alvaranga returned three silver medals in the 100m and 200m butterfly and the 200m individual medley, while Sage Sinclair took silver in the 800m freestyle and Karci Gibson in the 200m backstroke.

Kyle Sinclair took the 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke and 50m freestyle for boys.

Bronze went to Karci Gibson in the girls' 400m individual medley and 100m backstroke, while Alvaranga took the 50m back-stroke bronze.

Payne added 100m freestyle and 50m butterfly bronze medals to his tally.

The Jamaican teams, led by Y Speedos Swim Club with Kyle Sinclair, Jordane Payne, Zaneta Alvaranga and Samantha Selvon, finished eighth. Marlins Swim Club, represented by lone swimmer Karci Gibson, finished 20th.

The Jamaican team manager Georgia Sinclair praised her charges' brilliant performances, which, according to her, was a vast improvement over last year.

"I am extremely elated about the performance of this small but 'tallawah' team. To have moved from winning six medals last year to a whopping 19 medals is absolutely fantastic," she underlined.

"The swimmers were focused and results- oriented. Every member of the team achieved personal-best times, and this augers well for Jamaica swimming as we enter the final stages of preparation for CARIFTA," she added.

Next year's Carifta Swimming Championships will be held in The Bahamas, over the Easter weekend.