Swimming seeks to build on Olympic representation

Swimming will be the second discipline in which Barbados will be competing at the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad, with Jack Kirby contesting the heats of the men’s 100m freestyle at 5:00 a.m. Caribbean time on 30 July. He will be preceded by Matthew Wright in the triathlon, three hours prior.

As the countdown continues for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, President of the Barbados Aquatic Sports Association (BASA), Robert Armstrong has expressed the organisation’s pride and excitement to be part of yet another Games.

Kirby, it was revealed recently, has been chosen by the Barbados Olympic Association (BOA) to carry the Barbados flag at the Opening Ceremony on 26 July. And Barbados will once again feature in swimming on the global stage.

“This sets an example and aspiration for all upcoming swimmers and those yet to start aquatics to see Barbadians making it to this level,” Armstrong commented.

During an exclusive interview with Barbados TODAY, Armstrong explained that BASA lays a solid foundation for all national swimmers at the National Aquatic Centre in Wildey.

Through initiatives such as the National Sports Council (NSC) Learn to Swim programme, Armstrong stated that local swimmers get to own their skills and graduate to join and swim for a club at the age group level and also compete during meets organised by BASA.

It is through this type of foundation and participation at regional and international competitions such as the Goodwill Swim Meet, CARIFTA, CCCAN (the Central American and Caribbean and Swimming Federation), Commonwealth Games, and World Championships, that Kirby and other national swimmers in recent years, namely Alex Sobers and Danielle Titus, were selected to represent Barbados at the Olympics.

“Yearly, World Aquatics hosts World Championships, for which Jack would have been a participant multiple times,” Armstrong explained. “Swimmers would periodically be allowed based on their FINA points and times to be part of these major Games. Those are the platforms which give them even more exposure and experience performing and competing at the highest level,” he noted.

President Armstrong pointed out that BASA continues to ensure its swimmers are given as many opportunities as possible to compete locally against their peers, while inviting regional and international clubs to visit Barbados to compete.

“Along with ensuring our age group swimmers are not left out from the opportunities available to compete regionally and internationally, as a federation, we want to boost the number of persons learning aquatics at the grassroots level and thus provide opportunities for talent identification.

“We continue to organise and execute Primary and Secondary Inter-School Swim Competitions as an avenue for swimmers not in the club environment to be exposed to competition coming out of the NSC Schools Learn to Swim programme.

“As a federation, we intend to promote Jack’s selection to the team and his participation at the Games on our platforms, to inspire young people to one day attain such an achievement,” Armstrong shared.

The dream of representing the nation at the highest level of the sport, according to Armstrong, is a tangible ideal for young Barbadian swimmers. He also thanked the BOA for their continued support both financially and along the Olympic qualification journey.

“Regular participation at the Games speaks to opportunities available for those who desire to achieve it,” he mused. “It shows that the goal of being an Olympian is not far removed from the average boy or girl, and they too can achieve it.

“As President, I firmly believe that out of quantity will come the quality of emerging aquatic athletes. This must be married with enhancing our technical training of coaches from the learn-to-swim stage to the competitive level.

“Further, we must develop pathways for aquatic athletes to continue their sporting career by securing scholarship opportunities and continuing to compete at the collegiate level so we can have a larger stock of senior (18 and over) athletes,” Armstrong emphasised.”

Among the recent and current collegiate student-athletes from Barbados in swimming are Amelia Mayers, Danielle Treasure, Jake Chee-A-Tow, Danielle Titus, Nkosi Dunwoody, Keilani Talma, Kai Trotman, and Adara Stoddard, to name a few.

Kirby, of course, also passed through the college ranks. Turning 24 two days before the Opening Ceremony, he is one of only two men from Barbados to have completed the 100 free in under 50 seconds. With the right support, the hope is that he can go even faster.

“We must look at funding to help keep swimmers in the sport as a swimmer post-collegiate level,” Armstrong added. “The BOA as a stakeholder has been a great aid in providing funding for different levels of athletes.”

Post Olympics, BASA has a 47-member national team heading to Saint Lucia to compete at the Goodwill Swim Meet, 15-19 August. A smaller team will also be travelling to Puerto Rico to compete at the PanAm Age Group Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico, 22-25 August 2024.

Locally, the Aquatic Centre will host the Bridging the Gap Open International competition from 29 October to 2 November. In November the Primary and Secondary School Swim Meets will also be held. BASA Short Course Nationals will take place during the first week of December as well, followed by participation in the World Aquatics Short Course Championships in Budapest.

(AS)