BASA rewards top swimming achievers

The Barbados Aquatic Sports Association (BASA) recently recognized their outstanding swimmers for 2020 including those who set national records.

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, BASA was unable to have its annual awards and dinner ceremony where it recognises and rewards its top athletes, coaches, meet officials and volunteers.

The presentation held at the National Aquatic Centre showed appreciation for those who performed well in the pool.

BASA president Cheryl Lady Forde and past president Tony Selby presented the winners with their certificates.

In the 15 to 17 age group, Danielle Titus, based overseas, and Diego Dulieu, were the standouts in the female and male categories. Titus is currently based at Tulane University in New Orleans where Olympian Leah Martindale Stancil, the first Barbadian to reach an Olympic final in swimming, is the head coach.

In the Long Course Age Group, Titus achieved a new national record of 29.72 seconds in the 50m backstroke at the 2020 UANA (Unión Americana de Natación) Swimming Cup held in Peru.

Dulieu of Pirates Swim Club also had a wonderful year in 2020 and wrote his name in the record books at the BASA Short Course Age Group National held in December. The CARIFTA medallist competed in the 1500m freestyle and registered 16.13.44 for a new national record.

There were some other notable performances from Adara Stoddard in the girls 13 to 14 Short Course Age Group.

Stoddard who proved unstoppable in the backstroke which I 6sher pet event set two recordbreaking performances.

At the 2020 BASA Short Course Nationals, Stoddard clocked 1:14.32 in the 100m breaststroke for a new national record.

She also achieved another record in the 200m breaststroke (2:40.52) at the BASA Short Course Nationals.

Some records fell in the relays particularly Pirates 9 to 10 quartet of Heidi Stoute, Toria Alleyne, Jaiya Simmons and Fayth Jeffrey.

Competing at the BASA Long Course Nationals, they won the 400m freestyle (4:51.88) and 400m medley relay (5:44.10) in a record-breaking fashion.

Also, at the Dolphin’s Bridging the Gap Swim Meet held in December 2020, the quartet of Stoute, Alleyne, Simmons and Jeffrey swam 2:04.69 and set a 200m freestyle record.

Meanwhile, at the BASA Short Course Nationals in December, they put on a great showing of 4:35.65 in the 400m freestyle.

Another record was also accomplished at the BASA Long Course Nationals in March 2020 when Cassius Narain, Brennan Watson, Jaiya Simmons and Heidi Stoute clocked 2:23.33 in the 9 to 10 Mixed Relay.

Over the past year, BASA has been faced with several challenges with hosting events particularly because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

While BASA was able to stage nationals with both Long Course and Short Course, they, unfortunately, were unable to host CARIFTA for two consecutive years. They were also forced to cancel the Aquatic Centre Invitational.

There were a few events sanctioned last year by BASA amidst the challenges.

They were the Dolphins Swim Club Long Course meet in December and Pirates Swim Club in August. Water polo and artistic swimming were not able to have any competitive meets because of the ongoing pandemic.

(morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb)