The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AS they get closer to their departure to Bridgetown, Barbados, to defend their title at the CARIFTA Swimming Championships, the Bahamas national swim team got a gift from Nick Dean of Integrated Building Services.

Dean, the principal in IBS, made a cheque presentation to the team on Saturday following their practice to enable them to purchase the swim caps that they will wear during the Carifta competition over the Easter holiday weekend.

“We got a letter from the Bahamas Swim Federation about making a donation to the team to assist them with Carifta, so we decided that we will donate the swim caps,” Dean said.

“Sometimes we can and sometimes we can’t assist, but I just wanted to make the extra effort this year because the swimmers deserve it. They are out here twice a day, working for hours on end, so it’s good when we can make a contribution as a corporate entity.”

Male team captain Luke-Kennedy Thompson, along with female team captain Anya MacPhail, accepted the donation on behalf of the team.

“We want to thank Mr Dean for providing the swim caps that we will be using during Carifta,” Thompson said. “That’s a vital part of our competition to compete in.

“So we are very appreciative that his company came forth and sponsored us with the swim caps.”

Thompson said although they have a very young team this year, all of the swimmers are eager to go to Barbados and help the Bahamas to successfully defend its title. “I’m looking forward to representing my country,” said Thompson, who will be competing in a series of events in the freestyle, individual medley and breaststrokes on his second straight appearance after missing the action for four years.

MacPhail, 16, joined Thompson, 17, in expressing her gratitude on behalf of the swimmers to Dean and IBA for their contribution to the team. “It’s important for us to get this kind of support and so we are very happy that he and his company stepped up and made the contribution to us,” she stated.

“We have a very good team. We are practicing hard and when we leave for Barbados in mid-April, we hope to be ready. We have been working very hard in practice and so we feel we will do very well.”

Like Thompson, MacPhail will have her work cut out for her, but she admitted that she will be up to the task.

“This will be the most events that I will be swimming this year, but I’m used to swimming a lot of races,” she said.

“I’m just trying to score as much points as I can and to help the Bahamas repeat as champions.”

Head coach Travanno McPhee said everything is coming together for Team Bahamas.

“We are getting the team to gel together and with a couple more weeks left, we want to continue our high volume of training,” he said.

“Right now, everybody is looking healthy, there are no injuries and everything looks good.”