Barbados proudly secured four medals – two silver and two bronze – when the three-day artistic swimming competition concluded this evening at the 2019 Central American and Caribbean Swimming Federation Championship held at the Barbados Aquatic Centre in Wildey.
The two individual medals were captured by Erika Loustric [silver in the junior solo] and bronze by Gracie Foster in the 13 to 15 solo. The 12 and under national team were silver medallists in that age group behind Aruba while Kenya Franklin and Hailey Mahy collected bronze in the 13 to 15 duet.
There was much to smile about as Barbados captured silver in the girls’ 12 and under team competition. (Pictures by Morissa Lindsay).
(From left) Eden Trotman, Kenya Franklin and Hailey Mahy picked up bronze in the girls 13 to 15 duet.
While Loustric and Foster captured their individual medals over the past two days, the 12 and under team along with Franklin and Mahy medalled today.
Erika Loustric won silver for Barbados in the girls’ junior free solo.
Bronze medallist Gracie Foster was elated having finished third in the girls’ 13 to 15 solo category.
The latter [Franklin and Mahy] produced a two-minute and 45 seconds performance to the music of Bofou Safou by Amadou and Marian.
Barbados coach Keira Bloom was pleased with the overall performance of the ladies in Barbados colours and highlighted what areas needed improvement going forward.
“I am really proud of our girls. I think they swam well, they wanted to have fun and represented their country and they are so happy because they got to learn a lot. We learned from the clinics that we had, we learned from the teams, the height we need to push for, the extension we need to push for and the expressions we need to push for.
“This is a much higher level of competition and this is the first year we brought twelve and under to a competition, so for them the whole idea of competition is very new. So, now we know what we need to push for in the future and this experience is really important for our club and the country to see what else is out there and what level we need to work towards, “ Bloom said.
Compared to the other participating countries Barbados’ choreography was not on the same advanced level but Bloom assured that with the clinics held during CCCAN this year, the team had learned a lot and would have fresh ideas in preparation for next year.
“I am not unhappy with our choreography. I think it was good and appropriate for the level of swimmers we have right now. But we need to push them to the next level and we need to push ourselves as coaches to the next level as well.”
This afternoon Loustric teamed up with fellow CARIFTA medallist Samaiya Forde in the 15 and over duet free but the girls were unable to get on the podium. They performed to Zombie orchestra which was three minutes long.
In the 12 and under duet Olivia Treasure and Elena Brooker did a two-minute and a half presentation to the song Believe by Imagine Dragon but were also unable to secure a podium finish.
Treasure and Brooker, however, did receive a silver medal in the 12 and under team competition which also featured Saniyah Graham, Isabella Allen, Summer Franklin, Sabrina Dulieu, Lily Campion and Scarlet Blades.
The national anthem of Aruba played on several occasions as they stood out with a number of medals and swept all the age groups, the 12 and under, 13 to 15 and junior categories.
morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb
