The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

SWIMMERS qualified for the CARIFTA Games during the Blue Waves 2022 Invitational at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex where the Barracudas Swim Club emerged as the overall winners on Saturday.

In winning the girls’ division with 495 points, the Barracudas added 255 from the boys’ division for their overall total of 755. Mako Swim Club came in second overall with 624, including 321 in the girls and 303 in the boys, both in second place.

Host Blue Waves got third in the girls with 253 and won the boys with 311 for their overall total of 564 for third place. The meet also attracted teams from Grand Bahama and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

One of those visiting competitors, Tajhari Williams - a 14-year-old from Turks and Caicos Aquatics who won the 13-14 boys’ high point trophy with 46 over his nearest rival Anish Roy of Mako Aquatics Club - said he was happy to be in the Bahamas competing in the event with the rest of his team-mates.

“I felt great because I was able to achieve the qualifying times to go to CARIFTA,” said Williams, who did 1:08.21 in the 100m backstroke to surpass the standard of 1:09.28. “It feels exhilarating to be here and to be competing in this meet.”

The other high point winners were Isabella Munroe of Mako Aquatics Club with 63 points for the girls 8-and-under, Asher Bastian of the Mantas Swim & Water Polo Club-with 56 in the boys 8-and-under, Alissa Ferguson of the Barracudas Swim Club with 59 in the girls 9-10, Christon Joseph of the Blue Waves Swim Club with 60 in the boys 9-10, Lelah Lewis of the YMCA WaveRunners with 40 in the girls 11-12.

In addition, other high point winners were Dijon Simmons of the Blue Waves Swim Club with 51 in the boys 11-12, Zarria Watson of the Black Marlins Swim Club with 51 in the girls 13-14, Mia Sastre of the Black Marlins Swim Club with 42 in the girls 15-17, Reis Knowles, also of the Black Marlins Swim Club with 46 in the boys 15-17 and Joshua Murray of the Black Marlins Swim Club with 61 in the open men’s division. Simmons, who had a close battle against Jayden Davis of the Provo Aquatics Club (48) and Lenin Hamilton of the Turks And Caicos Aquatics (47), said he was very surprised with his accomplishment.

“I feel good,” said Simmons, a 12-year-old seventh grader at St Anne’s School who turned in three qualifying performances to add his name to those who are eligible to make the trip to Barbados for his initial appearance at CARIFTA. “I’m looking forward to getting better in all of my events.”

Having made two consecutive appearances at CARIFTA before she qualified as well in 2020 and 2021, only to watch as the meet was postponed because of COVID-19, Sastre said she’s eager to get back in competition against her Caribbean rivals.

“Overall, it was very exhausting, but I came through with the top girl award in the 15-17 category,” said Sastre, a 16-year-old 12th grader at Blake Academy Home School. “It was very tough and stressful because I swam in seven events, but I still made it, so it was good.”

Sastre previously qualified for CARIFTA in three events, but she noted that without such long intervals between meets because of the COVID-19 restrictions in place, she still managed to perform at a high standard. “I want to go to CARIFTA and swim at my best and come through for my country,” said Sastre as she looks ahead to her return to CARIFTA.

Trailing Sastre in the points standings were Kyana Higgs of the Barracudas Swim Club and Delaney Mizell of the Lyford Swim Club, both with 36.

During the meet, there were a number of qualifiers for CARIFTA.

Lelah Lewis clocked 31,81 and Saleste Gibson of the Barracudas did 31.83 as they both dipped under the girls 11-12 50m butterfly qualifying time of 43.40.

Jayden Davis of the PAC clocked 30.40 in the boys 11-12 50m butterfly to surpass the standard of 31.19. Caleb Ferguson of AAC did 27.31 in the boys 13-14 50m butterfly where the standard is 28.51.

Christin-Alyssa Clarke of the Barracudas did 1:18.95 in the girls 11-12 100m backstroke with the standard set at 1:19.01.

Dijon Simmons of BWSC did 1:16.28 in the boys 11-12 100m backstroke ro surpass the standard of 1:17.04.

Kyana Higgs of the Barracuda’s clocked 5:33.81 in the girls 15-17 400m individual medley to go under the standard of 5:54.59. And in the boys 11-12 50m breaststroke, Will Farrington of the Barracuda’s did 37.57 to match the standard, while Katie Goulandris of LSC clocked 36.61 to achieve her qualifying standard in the girls 15-17 50m breaststroke of 37.65.

Reis Knowles of BMSC came through in 31.47 in the boys 15-17 50m breaststroke to surpass the standard of 32.09.

Lelah Lewis of WAV-UN did 2:46.25 in the girls 11-12 200m !M to surpass the standard of 2:49.63 and in the boys 11-12 200m IM, Dijon Simmons’ time of 2:42.79 surpassed the standard of 2:44.06.

Kyana Higgs, the lone competitor in the girls 15-17 200m butterfly, did 2:35.06 to go under the standard of 2:46.08 and Donald Saunders, the lone competitor in the boys 13-14 200m butterfly, swum 2:20.21 as he also attained the standard of 2:55.69.

Three competitors attained the standard of 1:21.41 in the boys 11-12 100m freestyle as Noah Knowles of the WAVE-BA won in 1:02.95, followed by Lenin Hamilton of TCIA in 1:02.97 and Jayden Davis of PAC in 1:02.98.

Lelah Lewis of WAVUN-BA won the girls 11-12 400m freestyle in 5:11.00 to surpass the standard of 5:12.42. Her team-mate Seannia Norville-Smith clocked 4:51.88 in the girls 15-17 400m freestyle, surpassing the standard of 4:53.10.

Barracudas’ Will Farrington got another standard in the boys 11-12 400m freestyle with his time of 4:58.46. The standard was 5:06.39. And his team-mate Jack Barr did 4:25.14 in the boys’ 15-17 400m freestyle to surpass the standard of 4:27.36.

MAC’s Elie Theberge clocked 33.57 in the girls 13-14 50m backstroke to dip under the standard of 33.60 and Kyana Higgs got another standard in the girls 15-17 50m backstroke with her time of 32.61 to surpass the standard of 32.88.

BWSC’s Dijon Simmons clocked 33.33 to surpass the boys 11-12 50m backstroke’s standard of 33.92 and in the boys 13-14 50m backstroke, both Anish Roy of MAC (30.60) and Caleb Ferguson of AAC (31.15) went under the standard of 31.32.

Barracudas’ David Singh’s time of 3:00.12 in the 11-12 200m breaststroke surpassed the standard of 3:00.12.

And his team-mate Rhanishka Gibbs did 1:07.61 to surpass the standard of 1:10.31 in the girls 15-17 100m butterfly.

Donald Saunders of LIT did 1:02.33 to surpass the standard of 1:04.76 in the boys 13-14 100m butterfly and in the boys 11-12 200m freestyle, WAVE-BA’s Noah Knowles did 2:30.99 to surpass the standard of 2:21.53.

In the girls 13-14 100m breaststroke, the standard was 1:24.92 and MAC’s Tia- Isabella Adderley did 1:22.65. In the girls 15-17 200m backstroke, Kyana Higgs did 2:37.79 to surpass the standard of 2:44.20.

A pair of competitors attained boys 11-12 200m backstroke of 2:47.67 as David Singh of BSC won in 2:42.88 and Dijon Simmons of BWSC trailed in 2:44.59.

Two competitors also qualified in the girls 15-17 50m freestyle as Delaney Mizell of LSC won in 27.27 and Rhanishka Gibbs of BSC was the runner-up in 27.27. Lenin Hamilton of TCIA clocked 28.06 and Jayden Davis of PAC did 28.45 as they also dipped under the boys 11-12 50m freestyle of 28.59 and Caleb Ferguson (AAC) did 25.41 in the boys 13-14 50m freestyle to go under the standard of 26.25.