Swimmer Zuri Ferguson set to join Dylan Carter at Olympics

Trinidad and Tobago swimmer Zuri Ferguson is expected to join fellow national swimmer Dylan Carter at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Ferguson is representing TT at the Central American and Caribbean Swimming Federation (CCCAN) Championships in Monterrey, Mexico.

TT now have 39 medals at the meet – 16 gold, 14 silver and nine bronze.

TT are second in the medal table behind Mexico. Mexico have dominated with 166 medals as of June 21.

The national swimmers are third in the points standings with 516 points, behind Costa Rica (554) and Mexico (1,597.50).

TT swimmers Nikoli Blackman and Cherelle Thompson, who are participating at CCCAN, missed out on qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics, which begin on July 26. However, Ferguson should be heading to the games.

In a video sent to the media, swim coach Dr Stephen Mendoza, said, “I am pleased to say that Zuri Ferguson was nominated by World Aquatics to be the representative for swimming, so she would join Dylan Carter (at the Olympics). She is under what you call the universality clause and she is benefiting from that...we have records being broken and now we also have an Olympic qualifier.”

Ferguson has been competing in the girls’ 15-17 age group at CCCAN.

The universality clause allows athletes who did not make the qualifying times to compete at the Olympics. Athletes are invited to compete through the universality clause when it is deemed necessary for reasons of equality.

Graham Chatoor was one of the stand-out swimmers for TT on Friday, winning gold in the men’s 18-and-over 800-metre freestyle in eight minutes, 34.50 seconds (8:34.50).

The Mexican pair of Mariano Ballado Larios and Bernard Miery Teran ended second and third in 8:38.15 and 8:42.49 respectively.

Jaden Mills was another gold medal winner for TT, capturing the boys’ 13-14 50m butterfly event in 26.24. Luis Martinez Herrera ended second in 26.64 and Gael Sarinana Bacio stopped the clock in 26.85 as Mexico took silver and bronze.

TT had a memorable showing in the men’s 18-and-over 50m butterfly. Cadell Lyons was first in 24.87, Aqeel Joseph second in 24.99 and Christian Awah fourth in 25.21.

TT had many swimmers copping silver – Isabella Dieffenthaller in the girls’ 15-17 100m freestyle in 58.27, Liam Carrington in the boys’ 15-17 100m freestyle and Nikoli Blackman in the men’s 18-and-over 100m freestyle.

Two relay silver medals were earned. Zachary Anthony, Evan Gillard Bruce, Anpherne Bernard and Carrington were second in the boys’ 15-17 400m freestyle relay in 3:33.16.

Blackman, Chatoor, Johann-Matthew Matamoro and Aqeel Joseph were the runners-up in the men’s 18-and-over 400m freestyle relay. TT fell short of bagging more relay medals as three teams finished in fourth position.

Taylor Marchan, Zalayhar Lewis, Marena Martinez and Zara Persico missed out on a medal in the girls’ 11-12 400m freestyle; Jaden Mills, Alejandro Agard, Shian Griffith and Aaron Colthrust fell just short in the boys’ 13-14 400m freestyle relay and; Ferguson, Amari Ash, Catherine Dieffenthaller and Isabella Dieffenthaller finished fourth in the girls’ 15-17 400m freestyle event.

Persico added to TT’s medal tally with bronze in the girls’ 11-12 100m freestyle event in 1:02.88.