Harley breaks 50 fly 13-14 record

Tidal Wave Aquatics’ Jahmia Harley smashed the Girls 13-14 50m butterfly age group record on Saturday at the National Open Short Course Championships held at the National Aquatic Centre, Couva. Harley, who grabbed three gold medals on Friday evening, added four more to her tally and two national records on another productive evening.

Harley touched the wall in the 50m fly in 29.07 seconds to dip below Jada Chai’s 2016 age group ecord of 29.72.

Rounding out the top three was Flying Fish duo Danielle Williams (30.35) and DeNicha Lewis (30.49).

Harley’s second gold medal came in the 100m backstroke in one minute, 5.45 seconds. Taking the silver was Tidal Wave teammate Gabriella Vickles in 1:13.48, while Deshor Edwards of Atlantis followed in 1:14.67.

She was back on the top of the rostrum again with victory in the 200m freestyle, touching the wall first in 2:10.18, ahead of Marlins Swim Club’s Zoe Anthony (2:16.70) and Tidal Wave’s Sabrina David (2:18.36).

Harley closed the evening triumphant once more as part of Tidal Wave’s Mixed 400m Medley Relay team that shaved .19 of a second off the national record to win in 4:21.54. The Tidal Wave quartet comprised Harley, Williams Reyes, Kael Yorke and Gabriella Vickles.

In second and third were Atlantis (4:33.01) and Marlins (4:38.02).

Jeron Thompson continued his fine showing in the Short Course Championships, with two more gold medals. The Atlantis swimmer stopped the clock at 1:53.47 to take the 200m freestyle win ahead of Marlins’ Graham Chatoor (1:54.72) and Tidal Wave’s Kael Yorke (1:55.57.

He also topped the 100m backstroke, finishing in 57.56, leaving Blue Dolphins’ Josiah Parag (1:00.31) and Kael Yorke (1:00.52) to settle for silver and bronze.

Joy Blackett had a spectacular showing as well with four gold in the Girls 10 and Under category.

In the 100m freestyle, Blackett of Tidal Wave Aquatics won comfortably in 1:16.98, with her club-mate Amelia Rajack and Sea Hawks’ Madara Edwards (1:22.87) trailing in second and third respectively.

Blackett was golden again in the 100m freestyle, taking victory in 1:09.71, with Rajack again in second in 1:10.95 and Lyla Browne of Flying Fishing having to settle for third in 1:12.88.

It was a carbon copy finish in the 50m breaststroke with Blackett (40.35), Rajack (41.52) and Browne (43.43) finishing in that order.

Blackett later joined her Tidal Wave teammates to secure victory in the 200m Individual Medley Relay in a new record time of 2:29.07. Blackett, Shaelen Reece, Quillon Leera and Rajack took top spot with Flying Fish (2:31.85) and Point Fortin Aqua Darts (2:35.2) following.