Swimmers impress at short course nationals

The sensational Jaiya Simmons and her fellow talented Pirates Club teammate Heidi Stoute were both impressive at the 2022 Barbados Aquatic Sports Association Short Course National Championship this past week, where they rewrote the history books at the National Aquatic Centre.

Simmons set five new records in the 100m and 200m individual medley, 100m butterfly, 50m and 100 freestyle races to sign off on a good week of competition concluded yesterday at the Aquatic Centre.

Simmons and Stoute both competing in the 11 to 12 Girls age group were so competitive that they tied for the 100m freestyle record clocking 59.34 seconds. Stoute also stamped her authority in the pool with record breaking performances in the 100, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle.

For her incredible showing, Stoute was named the Junior High Point Trophy winner while Tariq Greenidge of Hightide Stingrays Club was adjudged the junior male top performer. Among Greenidge’s highlight at Short Course Nationals was winning the 11 to 12 Boys 100m and 200m breaststroke as well as the 100m and 200m backstroke races to name a few.

Meanwhile, Adara Stoddard who is signed to University of Little Rock in Arkansas on a two year scholarship also ensured her presence was felt in the pool competing for Hightide Stingrays.

Stoddard set three records in the 100m individual medley as well as the 100m and 200m breaststrokes which she clearly favours in the 15 to 17 Girls showdown. In fact, Stoddard took home the trophy for the Senior High Point winner amongst the females while Nkosi Dunwoody of Alpha Sharks Swim Club captured the male equivalent in the 18 to 24 Boys Division. (ML)