Nikoli Blackman breaks Pan Am Swim Champs record on Day 1

NIKOLI Blackman was one of the stars for TT on the opening day of the Pan American Age Group Swimming Championships at the National Aquatic Centre in Couva, on Thursday.

TT ended day one of the four-day meet with 14 medals – eight gold, three silver and three bronze.

Blackman, this country’s standout performer at the Carifta Swimming Championships earlier this year, broke the meet record on his way to gold in the boys 15-17 100m freestyle.

Blackman could not have asked for more support as his TT team-mates and coaches positioned themselves in the bleachers mere metres away from the pool.

In the final 50 metres of the race, Blackman delivered a dominant performance to break the meet record and clinch gold in 50.91 seconds.

G. Martinez Hernandez of Honduras earned silver in 51.72 and Jaden Ficklen of Puerto Rico took bronze in 53.64.

TT’s Johann-Matthew Matamoro (54.55) and Aaron Stuart (54.73) finished eighth and ninth respectively.

Zachary Anthony also grabbed gold for TT on the opening day touching the wall first in the boys 13-14 100m freestyle in 53.99. Anthony surged to the front in the second half of the race to grab the top spot.

It was a strong event for TT as Giovanni Rivas, who held the lead at the halfway point, snatched bronze in 55.44.

Puerto Rican Caleb Romero Serrano earned silver in 54.09 and Darren Belfon of TT was sixth in 57.29.

In the girls 15-17 50m breaststroke, Andrea Perea Cuebas of Puerto Rico was the winner in 35.63 and Tyla Ho-A-Shu of TT claimed silver in 35.69. Rounding off the top three was D. Barrera Bejarano of Puerto Rico in 36.18.

Alejandro Agard also had a memorable day for TT, splashing to gold in the boys 11-12 50m breaststroke in a time of 35.70.

I. Hernandez Melendez of Puerto Rican was second in 35.87 and Barbadian Zachary Burke took third spot in 36.11.

In the girls 18 and over 200m individual medley final, TT’s Gabriela Ann Donahue was third in 2:31.01 in a race with just three swimmers. Maria Munoz Machuca of Peru won gold in 2:23.97 and Alexandria Cotter of Puerto Rico finished second in 2:25.00.

Zachary Anthony of TT captured silver in the boys 13-14 200m individual medley in 2:17.59, finishing behind Romero Serrano of Puerto Rico who won in 2:16.93.

It was an impressive showing by Puerto Rico on the opening day as J. Melendez Figueroa was third in 2:18.88.

Before taking gold for TT in the 50m breaststroke, Agard claimed gold in the boys 11-12 200m individual medley. The other swimmers were no match for Agard as the TT swimmer won in 2:30.93.

Agard swam an incredible breaststroke leg (third leg) taking the lead with just the freestyle remaining. He maintained his lead in the freestyle and won comfortably.

Esteban Linares Loncharich of Peru snatched silver in 2:36.89 and Puerto Rican Ignacio Garcia Muniz ended third in 2:38.16.

In the 200m medley, swimmers are required to swim all four strokes. They start with a 50m butterfly, followed by backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle.

Aqeel Joseph, who is based at a US university, copped bronze for TT in the boys 18 and over 100m freestyle. Joseph was in contention for gold after 50m, but did not have the legs and had to settle for third place.

The pair from Peru Ricardo Espinoza Willig and M Castaneda Zavaleta grabbed gold and silver respectively in 52.52 and 52.61.

TT also had a solid performance in the relays at the end of day one winning four gold medals and one silver. TT (Liam Carrington, Anpherne Bernard, Rivas, Anthony) first won gold in the boys 13-14 200m medley relay in 1:52.95, then followed up with a silver medal in the girls 15-17 200m medley relay (Gabrielle Vickles, Ho-A-Shue, Joy Blackett, Amari Ash).

Matamoro, Akash Singh, Stuart and Blackman copped gold in the boys 15-17 200m medley relay in 1:47.98.

In the final two events TT won gold.

In the girls 18 and over 200m medley relay, TT (Ornella Walker, Donahue, Olympian Cherelle Thompson, Johnnya Ferdinand) took top spot in 2:01.95 and in the boys equivalent, TT (Cadell Lyons, Josiah Parag, Christian Awah and Joseph) took gold in 1:47.49.

The four-day meet continues on Friday from 10.30 am.