Swimmers Carter, Thompson medal at CAC Games

TT swimmer Dylan Carter continued to shine at the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games as he splashed his way to another medal this time gold in the men’s 50-metre freestyle A final in San Salvador, El Salvador on Thursday night.

Carter, a TT Olympian, won gold in 21.87 seconds to break the previous CAC record of 22.18 which stood since 2018. Mikel Schreuders of Aruba claimed silver in 22.43 and Lamar Taylor of Bahamas took bronze in 22.51.

TT’s Nikoli Blackman, who will start school at the University of Tennessee in August, finished sixth in 22.83.

Cherelle Thompson, another TT Olympian, also medalled for TT on the night when she claimed bronze in the women’s 50m freestyle A final in 25.92. Mexican Tayde Revilak won gold in 25.44 and finishing in second spot was Madelyn Moore of Bermuda in 25.79.

In cycling, the TT pair of Nicholas Paul and Kwesi Browne were both in contention for a medal up to press time on Friday.

On Thursday night in the quarter-finals, Paul got the better of Cuban Yansel Arias in heat one and in heat two Browne was too fast for Cuban Dairon Ortega.

In the semi-finals both TT riders continued to be at the top of their game on Friday.

Colombian Kevin Quintero was no match for Paul and Edgar Verdugo of Mexico could not defeat Browne.

Paul and Browne, who train alongside each other at the World Cycling Centre in Switzerland, were expected to battle in the gold medal ride at 9.44 pm TT time on Friday.

In hockey, the TT men fell 6-3 to Cuba in Group B of the preliminary phase after winning their opening match 4-1 over Guyana on Wednesday.

The TT women’s hockey team will play Cuba at 2 pm on Saturday in Group A of the preliminary stage. On Tuesday, the TT women got past Jamaica 4-0 but lost 3-1 to Mexico on Thursday.