The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITH a change in the format for the meet as the Bahamas Swimming Federation’s 2016 season officially got underway, there were some new names that surfaced at the conclusion of the Swift Swimming Heptathlon Meet.

The two-day meet, held over the weekend at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex, saw the swimmers accumulate the lowest scoring points to determine the winners in their respective age groups.

Winners of the various age groups, covering a wide range of competitors from the various participating clubs, were Taliyah Bowe, Tre Moncur, Marissa Albury, Nigel Forbes, Renee Chanan, Jasmine Trotman, DaVante Carey, Logan Burrows and Shawn McGirr. In order to win the high point award, all of the competitors had to complete all seven of the events in their categories.

Bowe, representing Swat, won the girls 8-and-under title in a time of 12 minutes and 53.47 seconds. Her time was accumulated from the 50 free in 43.02, 100 free in 1:36.78, 50 back in 51.31, 50 fly in 49.73, 200 IM in 4:11.19 and 200 free in 3:35.94. Her team-mate Anajaleah Knowles was second in 13:06.42 and Ellianne Higgs of Swift was third in 15:05.24.

Moncur III of the Barracuda was the winner of the boys 8-and-under in 11:36.24. His time came from the 50 fly in 40.48, 50 back in 49.28, 200 IM in 3:38.33, 100 free in 1:28.40, 50 breast (53.90), 50 free in 40.80 and 200 free in 3:25.05.

David Roy was the only other competitor in the category to complete all of the events as he came in second in 12:10.13.

Albury, the first winner from Swift, took the girls 9-10 title in 13:08.89. She did the 50 free in 36.57, 100m free in 1:20.21, 100 breast in 1:45.85, 100 back in 1:35.15, 100 fly in 1:35.67, 200 free in 2:57.24 and the 200 IM in 3:18.20.

Barracuda’s got a second and third respectively from Grace Farrington in 14:16.83 and Keianna Moss in 14:47.75.

Lewis, in carrying the banner for the Freeport Aquatic Club, won the boys 9-10 crown in 10:47.64. He did the 50 free in 30,17; 100 free in 1:06.88; 100 back in 1:24.01; 100 breast in 1:26.42; 100 fly in 1:12.00; 200 free in 2:23.75 and the 200 IM in 2:43.50.

Rondon Williams of the Dolphins got second in 3:23.11 and Maddox Pinder was third in 3:36.47.

Chanan of Swat was the lone competitor to complete the challenge in the girls 11-12 division. She did it in 17:26.78 after posting 41.67 in the 50 free, 1:37.32 in the 100 free, 2:09.14 in the 100 back, 2:19.53 in the 100 breast, 2:14.58 in the 100 fly, 3:50.97 in the 200 free and 4:33.57 in the 200 IM.

Trotman, also of Swift, was the only competitor in the girls 13-14 division. She did her events in 11:53.65. Her time came in the 200 free in 2:33.57, 50 free in 31.27, 100 back in 1:25.40, 100 free in 1:08.63, 100 fly in 1:30.35, 200 IM in 3:00.51 and the 100 breast in 1:43.92.

No other competitor completed the seven events in the category.

Carey captured the boys 13-14 divisional title in 9:55.18. The Swift competitor turned in a time of 2:19.38 in the 200 free, 27.52 in the 50 free, 1:06.39 in the 100 back, 59.33 in the 100 free, 1:07.96 in the 100 fly, 2:34.68 in the 200 IM and 1:19.92 in the 100 breast.

His team-mates, Joshua Murray was second in 10:02.13 and Tristan Russell was third in 10:35.90.

Burrows, also from Swift, was the lone competitor to complete the seven events in the girls 15-and-over category. She did it in 12:04.76. Her times came from the 200 free in 2:37.30, 50 free in 33.45, 100 back in 1:24.90, 100 free in 1:11.58. 100 fly in 1:26.84, 200 IM in 3:09.02 and the 100 breast in 1:41.67.

And McGirr of Swift captured the boys 15-and-over category in 10:41.99. He produced times of 2:25.15 in the 200 free, 28.64 in the 50 free, 1:22.03 in the 100 back, 1:02.50 in the 100 free, 1:12.23 in the 100 fly, 2:45.91 in the 200 IM and 1:25.53 in the 100 breast.

Bertram Gibson of Swift was the only other competitor to do all seven events, finishing second in 11:19.95.

Swift’s head coach Alan Murray said it turned out to be quite an exciting meet.

“All teams were represented. We had some cool temperature and the swimmers swum well regardless,” Murray said. “It was a good opportunity for most kids to show where they are right after the Christmas holidays. Some people took a little time off, but most of the swimmers performed up to expectations, which meant that they probably didn’t take that much time off during the holiday.

“We still have two more meets before we select the CARIFTA team, so everyone should be in their competitive swim mood. There is another meet in two weeks put on by the Barracuda Swim Club so we expect to see some better performances there as the swimmers really hone in on their times as they try to make the CARIFTA team. This meet really gave us an indication of what we have to work with right now.”

Murray thanked Gunite Pools and all of the corporate sponsors as well as the spectators for coming out to cheer on the swimmers as they get back in the pool and get ready to go for a three-peat at the CARIFTA Games in Martinique over the Easter holiday weekend.