Carter sets new national 100m free record at National Short Course

DYLAN CARTER erased his national men’s 100-metre freestyle record of 46.07 seconds, set on Thursday in the preliminaries, when he splashed to gold in another record-breaking performance in the final, on day two of the National Short Course Championships at the National Aquatics Centre, Couva, on Friday.

Carter, 25, touched the wall in a blistering 46.02 to secure gold ahead of standout junior swimmer Nikoli Blackman (Marlins), who finished in silver medal position, in 50.76. Holding on to bronze was Tidal Wave Aquatics’ Johann-Matthew Matamoro, in 52.20.

This was Carter’s first medal of the meet following his untouchable nine gold medal haul at the FINA Swimming Word Cup series over the past month.

Blackman, however, went on to win gold in both the men’s 1500m freestyle and 200m individual medley.

In the 1,500m freestyle, the 16-year old completed the event in a gruelling 16 minutes and 24.39 seconds. Blackman beat to the line silver medallist and Marlins club-mate Zachary Anthony (17:00.11) and unattached bronze receiver Isaac Tuberoso (19.41.72).

And, in the 200m IM, Blackman won in 2:11.49. He finished ahead of the PBSC pair of Josiah Parag (2:12.65) and Liam Carrington (2:13.81) respectively.

Also winning double gold in the pool on Thursday was Atlantis Aquatics’ Amelia Rajack, Marlins’ Taylor Marchan and RWB Aquatics’ Kyle Leera.

Rajack won the women’s 1500m freestyle in 18:36.84 while Marlins’ Aimee Le Blanc (19:43.36) placed second and EASC’s Keiera Audian (20.28.51) third.

Soon after, she again powered to victory in the 200m IM. There, Rajack clocked 2:36.03 and finished ahead of PBSC’s Caitlyn Look Fong (2:38.13) and Barracudas’ Kiara Goodridge (2:39.26) respectively.

Marchan however, topped the field in the girls’ Under-11 200m freestyle in 2:24.87, followed by club-mates Zara Persico (2:32.45) and Marena Martinez (2:32.46).

She also swam to gold in the 50m backstroke in 35.82. Persico (37.32) was second while another Marlins representative Zalayhar Lewis (37.84) was third.

And in the boys’ 10-and-under 200m free, Leera splashed to victory in 2:36.56. Swimming to silver was EASC’s Micah Alexander (2:41.40) while Tidal Wave Aquatics’ Jeremiah Mahabir (2:41.42) placed third.