Nikoli Blackman, Zoe Anthony win open water 5,000m titles

NIKOLI Blackman and Zoe Anthony won the 5,000-metre open titles when the Subway Maracas Open Water Swim event was held at Maracas Bay on Sunday.

The TT swimmers, who competed at the 2023 Carifta Aquatic Championships, starred at the meet.

Blackman, who is heading to the University of Tennessee in a few months, won the overall and men’s title in one hour, eight minutes and 14 seconds (1:08:14).

Blackman, of Marlins Swim Club, won more than ten medals at the Carifta Games held over the Easter weekend in Curacao.

Finishing behind Blackman was his club-mate Zachary Anthony in 1:10:46 and Liam Carrington, also of Marlins, was third in 1:13:43.

Zoe (Marlins) was first in the women’s category and eighth overall in 1:19:31.

Aimee Lee Blanc (Marlins) was one minute behind Zoe in 1:20:36 and Sydney Look Fong of Petrotrin Barracudas Swim Club ensured Marlins did not sweep the category with a third-place finish in 1:23:41.

Le Blanc was 14th overall and Look Fong was 17th overall.

In the 1,000m event for swimmers 13 and over, TT junior swimmer Darren Belfon of Pt Fortin Aqua Darts won in 17 minutes and 51 seconds (17:51).

Shaelen Reece (RWB) showed his potential finishing second in 19:01.

Finishing third overall, but first among the women was Asia-Marie Pouchet of Blue Dolphins in 19:16.

Zion Applewhaite (19:27) of Tidal Wave was fourth overall and third among the men.

Madara Edwards (19:38) and Toni Yates (19:41), both of RWB, finished second and third respectively among the women. Edwards was fifth overall and Yates sixth.

Participants 12 and under also competed in the 1,000m race.

Aiden Nixon of Tidal Wave Aquatics was the winner in a time of 20:32 and Micah Alexander of Marlins was second in 20:45.

Fourth overall and third in the boys' category was Aidan Mayers (Marlins) in 22:50.

Finishing third overall and first among the girls was Marlins swimmer Zalayhar Lewis in 21:53.

Kimari Antoine (fifth overall) of Tidal Wave was second among the girls in a time of 22:57 and Leah De Freitas (ninth overall) of BDSC rounded off the top three in 24:06.

Blackman destroyed the field in the 3,000m open event winning in 45:07.

Isaac Tuberoso was a distant second overall in 49:44 and national junior swimmer Aaron Siewlal was third (fourth overall) among the men in 49:53.

Taylor Marchan, another TT junior swimmer, did not allow the men to claim the first three spots finishing third overall and first among the women in 49:45.

Marena Martinez was second (sixth overall) in the women’s division in 52:30 and Zara Persico finished third (seventh overall) in 53:51.