Swimming association highlights Junior Pan Am performances

THE Amateur Swimming Association of TT (ASATT) praised its six-member national team on their efforts at the inaugural Junior Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia.

Although the team of Graham Chatoor, Kale Yorke, Zarek Wilson, Nikoli Blackman, Ornella Walker and Gabriela Donahue did not win any medals, ASATT still congratulated them.

Chatoor won the men’s 400m freestyle B final and set a new personal best (PB) time of 4:01.39.

Similarly, he set another PB, this time in the B final of the 200m freestyle. He clocked 1:55.15.

On Saturday, in the men’s 100m butterfly A final, Yorke swam a PB of 54.09 seconds to finish fifth.

Donahue also placed fifth in the the women’s 200m freestyle in a PB time of 2:08.44. She placed 13th overall in the event.

Additionally, Ornella Walker placed sixth in the women’s 200m backstroke B finals in 2.38.28. On Sunday, Donahue finished seventh in the women’s 100m freestyle heat in 1:00.18 but did not advance to the A or B finals.

Chatoor also landed himself in eighth position in 55.93s in heat two of the men’s 100m freestyle. In heat three, Wilson and Blackman placed fourth and fifth in 52.15s and 52.67s respectively. Wilson qualified for the B final.

In the women’s 100m backstroke, Donahue placed fourth in heat four and secured her position in the B final.

Chatoor proved his fortitude by winning heat one of the men’s 800m freestyle events in 8:33.58. The Junior Pan Am Games was, for some of the athletes, their first international competition.

A statement issued by the sport’s local governing body on Monday said, “The ASATT wish our athletes continued success at the Cali Valle 2021 Junior Pan American Games.”