The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

With the Bahamas Swimming Federation preparing to go after its fourth straight CARIFTA Swimming Championships title next month, swimmers will have a chance to secure their spots on the team with the final trials set for this weekend.

Once the two-day, three-session trials are completed today and tomorrow at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex, the federation will release the team that will represent the Bahamas at the CARIFTA Games in Bridgetown, Barbados, April 9-15.

"We feel we have a very strong team that will represent the Bahamas," said federation president Algernon Cargill.

"We already have more than 30 swimmers who have attained the qualifying standards and we expect that at least 40 swimmers will surpass the standard this weekend."

Unfortunately, Cargill said the federation can only take a maximum of 36 swimmers on the team, so they can virtually say that the team has already been completed.However, the federation will make a final decision on the team selection on Sunday when the announcement will be made as to who will travel during the Easter holiday weekend.

Georgette Albury has been named as the team manager, but Cargill said the coaching staff will be selected when the rest of the team, including the open water and the water polo teams, are announced.

As for the trials, Cargill said they are looking forward to some very good performances from the swimmers. It's mandatory that all swimmers based in the Bahamas compete in order to be selected, whether they have attained the standard or not. Cargill, however, said they anticipate that there will be fewer swimmers selected from those who are currently away in college as there is a heavy focus on the swimmers who are based in the Bahamas.

He pointed out that the federation has been very pleased with the performances of the swimmers from Grand Bahama, considering the fact that many f them re still recovering the after-effects of Hurricane Dorian last year. He also noted that based on the qualifiers so far, the Mako Swim Club, headed by Travano McPhee, has produced the largest number of competitors and they will probably end up with more than any other club going to Barbados.

Additionally, Cargill said they expect that Nigel Forbes from Grand Bahama will be back to lead the boys' side of the competition, having won 10 medals last year. He will be joined by Marvin Johnson and collegian DeVante Carey.

As for the girls' side, Cargill said they may not have any swimmers as outstanding as the boys, but he anticipates that collectively, they will get the job done in helping the Bahamas to retain its title.

In winning last year's title. the Bahamas picked up a total of 73 medals, inclusive of 35 gold, 18 silver and 20 bronze to finish well ahead of Jamaica, who had 22 gold, 25 silver and 12 bronze for their total of 59.

The Bahamas also finished with 889.50 points ahead of runners-up Jamaica with 748.

While the Bahamas will be going after its fourth straight title, if they are successful, it will be the sixth in the past seven years. The Bahamas last lost the title in 2016 in Martinique.

"We know that we will have a very competitive team," Cargill said. "We won't know exactly how competitive it will be until the trials are completed this weekend and we select the team on Sunday.

"But we know that based on the number of qualifiers and the swimmers who have qualified so far, the team will be very competitive and we feel that we can go to Carifta and win the title again."

The final trials will get underway tonight at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex, starting at 6 pm and continue on Saturday at 9 am. The final session will begin at 4 pm.