Wilson stars at Age Group Swim Champs

ZAREK WILSON was the star of the show on Friday evening, on the third day of the Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ASATT) National Long Course Age Group Swimming Championships, at the National Aquatic Centre, Balmain, Couva.

The 12-year-old, representing Blue Dolphin Swim Club, earned Carifta A times in three events, in the boys 11-12 age group – 100-metre freestyle, 50m backstroke and 200m butterfly.

In the 100m freestyle, Wilson touched the wall in 58.24 seconds, below the qualifying time of 58.88 seconds. Josiah Changar of Sea Hawks was second in 59.52 seconds while Nikoli Blackman of Marlins Swim Club was third in 59.98. Both Changar and Blackman achieved CCCAN standards with their respective times.

Moments later, in the 50m backstroke, Wilson was victorious in 29.84 seconds, lower than the Carifta standard of 31.74. Blackman was next in 33.18 and Sheni St Hillaire of Point Fortin Aqua Darts was third in 34.43.

And, in the 200m butterfly, Wilson completed the distance in two minutes 25.62 seconds, lower than the 2:28.59 Carifta standard, with Blackman (2:32.07) and Stachys Harley of Tidal Wave (2:46.14) taking silver and bronze respectively. Also earning a spot in the Carifta squad was Kael Yorke, who swam 2:08.13, lower than the 2:10.82 time required for the Carifta Games, in the boys 15-17 200m butterfly.

Yorke, of Tidal Wave Aquatics, got the better of Mark Beckles of Flying Fish (2:19.55) and Josiah Parag of Blue Dolphin (2:23.79).

The 2018 Carifta Swimming Championships are carded to take place from March 31 to April 3 in Jamaica.

Action in the National Long Course Age Group Swimming Championships will conclude today.

Selected Results –

Girls 11-12 100m freestyle: 1.Zoe Anthony (Marlins) 1:03.55; 2.Savannah Chee-Wah (Blue Dolphin) 1:04.49; 3.Gabrielle Vickles (Tidal Wave Aquatics) 1:04.93.

Girls 11-12 50m backstroke: 1.Gabrielle Vickles (Tidal Wave) 33.88; 2.Zoe Anthony (Marlins) 34.29; 3. Savannah Chee-Wah (Blue Dolphin) 35.34.

Girls 15-17 50m backstroke: 1.Jahmia Harley (Tidal Wave) 31.71; 2.Deshor Edwards (Atlantis Aquatics) 35.26; 3.Rochelle Jackson (Silver Sharks) 35.38.

Boys 15-17 50m backstroke: 1.Jeron Thompson (Atlantis Aquatics) 28.17; 2.Kael Yorke (Tidal Wave Aquatics) 28.60; 3.Aqeel Joseph (Sea Hawks) 29.26.

Girls 11-12 100m breaststroke: 1.Zoe Anthony (Marlins) 1:24.97; 2.Joy Blackett (Tidal Wave Aquatics) 1:26.61; 3.Daniella Blackman (Flying Fish) 1:30.28.

Boys 11-12 1000m backstroke: 1.Josiah Changar (Sea Hawks) 1:21.62; 2.Nikoli Blackman (Marlins) 1:21.64; 3.Dillon Jaglal (Sea Hawks) 1:27.01.

Girls 15-17 100m breastrstroke: 1.Ileana Bocage (Flying Fish) 1:18.60; 2.Vrisnelt Faure (Torpedoes Swim Club) 1:24.40; 3.Jada Chatoor (Marlins) 1:25.48.

Girls 11-12 200m butterfly: 1.Zoe Anthony (Marlins) 2:50.74; 2.Caitlyn Look Fong (Petrotrin Barracudas) 2:53.67; 3.Soriyah Alfonso (Atlantis Aquatics) 3:11.75.