The Tribune

Swimming standout Alana Dillette has retired from the competitive side of the sport. Addressing her fellow swimmers during the opening of the Royal Bank of Canada National Swim Championships on Friday at the Betty Kelly Kenning Aquatic Centre, the 26-year old doctoral student at Auburn University thanked all those who assisted in her swimming career.

An Olympian who competed for The Bahamas in Beijing in 2008, Alana pledged to continue her involvement in the sport to assist young Bahamians interested in swimming.

Alana graduated from Auburn University with first a Bachelor’s degree in tourism and hospitality, before continuing to achieve a Master’s degree in the discipline. She is now pursuing her doctoral studies and is a graduate teaching assistant at the faculty of Human Sciences in Auburn University.

In her retirement remarks, Alana encouraged other young Bahamian sportsmen and women to contribute to the reputation of Bahamas swimming in the world of top-level athletics, while also furthering their own opportunities: “In high-level sport, there is a world of possibility in education, career advancement, networking and travel. Once you have the basic ability and the determination to train and perform at your best, there can be a great fit in the world of quality sporting academics for everyone who has made it here to these Bahamas Swimming Nationals of 2014.”

Alana, who established many Bahamas and regional swimming records during her career, singled out her first coach, Freeport Aquatics Club’s Albert Bell as instrumental in her early development.

The retiring swimmer also thanked coaches Andy and Nancy Knowles of Swift Swimming, from whom she springboarded into international collegiate competition.

She credited the excellent swimming programme at Auburn University for helping her to reach and maintain world-level ability. Also receiving special mention in Alana’s remarks at the 2014 Nationals was Royal Bank of Canada for their long sponsorship of swimming in The Bahamas, the Ministry of Sports and the family of the late Betty Kelly Kenning who greatly advanced Bahamas Swimming through the gift of the Olympic-sized 50-metre pool at the Aquatics Centre. Alana presented gifts - cutting-edge swimsuits and other swim paraphernalia courtesy of Auburn University - to 1st place swimmers during the Nationals.