The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS
Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Aquatics has a 36-member team that will be heading to Martinique on Thursday to win their eighth straight CARIFTA Swimming Championships.

Also heading on the Bahamasair chartered flight will be a 12-member team that will compete in the open water swim championships on the Anses d'Arlet coastal area, the day after the pool competition is completed at the Pierre Samot Community Aquatic Centre.

Cameron Bruney will coach the team that is hoping to make just as much noise as the swim team during their competition on Tuesday.

Selected to compete on the team are the following: Female 14 -15 - Ella Brueckner, Scarlette Donaldson and Blue Grey.

Female 16-18 - Alanna Murray, Violet Saralegui and Alexia Zatarain.

Male 14 -15 - Nitayo Knowles, Keiron Lloyd and Lauchlan Menzies.

Male 16 -18 - Kevin Johnson Jr., Malcolm Menzies and Kaylan Williams.

A few of the team members indicated that they are looking forward to making their presence felt.
Nitaya Knowles, a 13-year-old ninth grader at Sunland Baptist Academy, said he's thrilled to be back on the team, although this will be his debut in the open water competition.

"I feel grateful and happy that all of my hard work has paid off," said Knowles, who will be one of the flag carriers in the boys’ 14-15 division.

"I'm looking forward to visiting a new country and experiencing another CARIFTA with this amazing team. I feel good about this team. I think we will do good and come first again this year."

Ella Brueckner, who will be competing in the girls’ 14-15 division, said she's overjoyed in making her initial appearance on the team.

"I'm really excited. It's a very good honour to represent Team Bahamas in Martinique," she said.
"I was really shocked when I found out at first that I made the team, but I trained really hard, so I'm really excited about going out there to compete."

Brueckner said the team is really good and they are very well prepared for the competition.
Keiron Lloyd, a 15-year-old ninth grader at St Augustine's College, is also making his first appearance on the CARIFTA team. Like everybody, he's thrilled to be going to Martinique. "I feel grateful because all of my hard work has paid off and I finally made the team," he stated. "I'm ready to go and put all my efforts in the water to help this team win.

"I want to try to get a medal and to help this team win. I feel the team is very strong and we have the potential to get the eight-peat."

While everybody is eager to go, 13-year-old Scarlette Donaldson has some reservations, but she won't let it deter her from the mission that is ahead of her.

"This is my first time doing it in a different country, but I already did it in The Bahamas. I don't know how their ocean looks. I only know about The Bahamas," said Donaldson, an eighth-grader at Queen's College.

"But I've been practising hard to swim hard. The practices have been hard. They have been making me tired. I would rather be sleeping than to come here. I was happy when I was named to the team, so I'm here to compete."

This is Donaldson's first year in the open water competition, but her second on the team, having competed in the girls’ 13-14 division in the pool last year.