Chatoor, Santana retain 5,000m titles

READY, SET, GO....and a number of swimmers enter the waters at Maracas Bay last year at the Subway Maracas Open Water Classic.
READY, SET, GO....and a number of swimmers enter the waters at Maracas Bay last year at the Subway Maracas Open Water Classic.

Graham Chatoor and Chisara Santana both defended their 5,000-metre titles when the Subway Maracas Open Water Classic was held at Maracas Bay, yesterday.

Chatoor of Marlins won the overall title, and men’s open title, in one hour, 10 minutes and 10 seconds, finishing ahead of Malik Nelson of Atlantis Aquatics (1:10:28) and Gabriel Bynoe of Tidal Wave Aquatics (1:12:28).

Santana led a clean sweep for Tidal Wave Aquatics in the 5,000m women’s open winning in 1:15:52. Shania David clocked the same time as Santana, but the latter got the nod. Shania’s younger sister Sabrina copped third spot in 1:20:05.

Chatoor was elated with his victory. “It feels really great. I won last year so it is great to come back and win again,” Chatoor said.

The 17-year-old said the tough conditions and new course resulted in him completing the race in a slower time. “The course was a lot different so I had to get use to it while I was swimming. There were a lot more currents than last time so the time might have been a bit slower, but overall it was good.”

Chatoor, who won last year in 1:05:57, said all the training paid off. “I had a lot of really tedious, long distance training so that definitely helped.”

Santana was thrilled with the victory as her preparations could have been better. Santana said, “It is really good, I feel amazing. I was not really training well over the past two months so I was kind of unsure about it, but I had self confidence and I put in all that I had (yesterday) and I got good results and I am really grateful.”

The 16-year-old, who said part of the course was rough, tried to stick to her strategy. “My strategy was for the first, fourth and fifth lap I would sprint. But for the first lap I went a little off course so I had to get back...up to speed.”

In the 3,000m men’s open event, which replaced the 2,650m event, Josiah Parag of Blue Dolphins won in 40:54. Defending champion Kael Yorke of Tidal Wave Aquatics could not complete a hat-trick of titles, finishing second in 41:00, while Nikoli Blackman of Marlins was third in 41:02.

Courtney Lawrence of Marlins won the 3,000m women’s open in 46:07, followed by Jada Chai of Atlantis Aquatics in 48:00 and Gabriella Acosta of Tsunami Swim Club in 48:20.

President of the Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ASATT) Wendell Lai Hing thanked the sponsors for the support. “Subway has once again come forward and helped us a lot. They are our title sponsors and they have pumped a lot of money into this together with Dasani and Powerade,” Lai Hing said.

RESULTS (clubs in brackets)

5,000m Men’s Open -

1.Graham Chatoor (Marlins) 1:10:10

2.Malik Nelson (Atlantis Aquatics) 1:10:28

3.Gabriel Bynoe (Tidal Wave Aquatics) 1:12:28

5,000m Women’s Open -

1.Chisara Santana (Tidal Wave Aquatics) 1:15:52

2.Shania David (Tidal Wave Aquatics) 1:15:52

3.Sabrina David (Tidal Wave Aquatics) 1:20:05

3,000m Men’s Open -

1.Josiah Parag (Blue Dolphins) 40:54

2.Kael Yorke (Tidal Wave Aquatics) 41:00

3.Nikoli Blackman (Marlins) 41:02

3,000m Women’s Open -

1.Courtney Lawrence (Marlins) 46:07

2.Jada Chai (Atlantis Aquatics) 48:00

3.Gabriella Acosta (Tsunami Swim Club) 48:20

1,000m 12 and Under Girls -

1.Zoe Anthony (Marlins) 14:43

2.Savannah Chee-Wah (Marlins) 15:16

3.Neishelah Caseman (Tidal Wave Aquatics) 15:27

1,000m 12 and Under Boys -

1.Zachary Anthony (Marlins) 16:03

2.Liam Carrington (Atlantis Aquatics) 16:21

3.Giovanni Rivas (Team Rivas) 16:27

1,000m 13 and Over Boys -

1.Sheni St Hillaire (Point Aquatic Darts) 12:03

2.Derell Augustine (Point Aquatic Darts) 15:17

3.Jonathan Constantine (Silver Sharks) 15:18

1,000m 13 and Over Girls -

1.Ileana Bocage (Flying Fish) 17:38

2.Kirsten St Omer (SJC Triathlon Club) 17:38

3.Aliyah Williams (Unattached) 17:45

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"Chatoor, Santana retain 5,000m titles"

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