ASATT president lauds Subway for Open Water sponsorship

The Subway Open Water Classic will provide more of a challenge for some of the swimmers when the event swims off at Maracas Bay, on September 17, from 8 am.

The Classic will feature various age groups such as the 12-and-Under, 10-and-Under, Eight-and-Under and the Open divisions. There will also be a number of categories among the adult swimmers. There will also be other races on the schedule -- a 5k, a 3k and two 1k races.

President of the Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ASATT) Wendell Lai Hing, spoke about the events at a media conference held at the Dr Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence in Macoya, on Wednesday.

"We are having a 5k which is basically a qualifying event for Carifta which is being hosted in Jamaica next year. We also have a 3k which is basically the novelty event," Lai Hing said. "We have also increased the distance for the younger ones (12-and-Under) because we felt that a little more challenge will be beneficial to them. They will be swimming a 1k." Last year the 12-and-Under swimmers were required to swim a distance of 750 metres.

Lai Hing thanked Subway for sponsoring the event for yet another year especially in tough economic times.

"Subway, I must say in this trying economic times we really do appreciate what you all are doing for us. It is not easy to have to face parents and say to them 'look we have to put out x amount of money because we just don't have the funds'. We depend on the Government heavily, but Subway has partnered with us and I am pleased to say that it is nice to know that corporate Trinidad, by way of Subway, has continued to be with us."

Vice-president of Subway Carla Furlonge-Walker said the Open Water Classic is just one of many sporting events Subway has been involved with for the past few years.

"For Subway sport and youth is an obvious alignment and for the past four years we have been working on developing relationships around sport. From 5k events, to marathons, to triathlons, tennis, hockey, cycling, cross fit and of course swimming," Furlonge-Walker said.

Furlonge-Walker said Subway wants to provide young swimmers with the opportunity to compete "There are a lot of young swimmers with a passion for open water swimming. We see them every year on the third Sunday in September at Maracas, and we will continue to support their passion and help to provide a platform for them to compete."

The media conference on Wednesday also recognised the performance of the national junior swimmers at the Goodwill Swim Meet in Guyana held recently.