Barbados take fourth spot in swimming championships

By Morissa Lindsay

A commendable performance earned team Barbados 32 medals at the 2022 Central American and Caribbean Amateur Swimming Championships (CCCAN) which concluded Wednesday, at the National Aquatic Centre in Wildey.

On the final day of competition, Harrison College student Amiya Harrison won gold in the Girls 11 to 12 breaststroke over 50m in a time of 38.08 seconds at the 34th staging of the FINA approved competition.

The Barbados Aquatic Sports Association’s national team managed by Sharon Small and coached by Dave Farmer performed admirably and came fourth overall with a total of 487.50 points ahead of fellow Caribbean counterparts Jamaica in fifth position with 418.50. The top three powerhouses as expected dominated proceedings with defending champions Mexico once again taking centre stage with a whopping 1,821.50 points, Venezuela accounted for 676 points and Puerto Rico 534.50 for third place overall.

Jaiya Simmons who is a student of Harrison College and a member of Pirates Swim Club was Barbados’ most outstanding swimmer with an impressive eight individual and three relay medals inclusive of erasing a 21-year-old age group record in the 50m freestyle. Simmons also did well on the last day of competition, capturing a silver medal in the 11 to 12 Girls 100m butterfly as she clocked 1:07.38 and also secured a bronze (2:36.59) in the 200m backstroke.

Fellow Pirates clubmate Heidi Stoute also did well as she proudly claimed a total of four individual medals inclusive of two age group records and three relay titles as well. Stoute captured silver in the 11 to 12 Girls 400m freestyle in 4:35.96 which was also a national age group record having broken her previous time of 4:36.93 set this year on home soil at the CARIFTA Games.

Also picking up a silver medal was Danielle Treasure in the 200m backstroke where she registered a time of 2:24.74 in the 18 and Over Girls Division. It has been a good year so far for Treasure who recently made history as the first Barbadian to medal at the inaugural Caribbean Games held in Guadeloupe.

Tristan Pragnell also showed his mettle with a 2:08.61 silver medal performance in the 18 and Over Boys 200m backstroke. Tariq Greenidge also took home a silver medal in the 11 to 12 Boys 200m backstroke as he touched the wall in 2:27.54.

In the relays, Barbados also stood out in the 11 to 12 age group of the 4x100m freestyle event. The girl’s quartet that included the dominant Simmons and Stoute, as well as Ayobami Leon- Barker and Toria Alleyne were all impressive in a time of 4:15.08 for the silver medal.

The Bajan boys also ensured they secured the third-best podium finish with Tariq Greenidge, Victor Ashby, Zachary Burke and Brendan Gill registering 4:09.65 on the clock.

Captain of the Barbados female team Adara Stoddard led by example and was part of the Barbados bronze medal team for the 4x100m freestyle relay, clocking 4:04.13 with her teammates Toni Walrond, Keilani Talma and Amelia Mayers.

Meanwhile, bronze also went to the national 18 and Over Boys 4x100m freestyle team of Captain Nkosi Dunwoody, Luis Sebastian-Weekes, Tristan Pragnell and Roan Baker in 3:39.62 to end the competition on a good note for Barbados.

As CCCAN continues the open water swim segment is being presently contested until July 19.

(morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb)