Trinidad and Tobago cop 18 Goodwill swim medals

THE Applewhaite siblings, Zion and Jannai, were among the standout performers for TT at the 27th Goodwill Swimming Championships at the National Stadium Pool in Jamaica on Friday.

TT copped 18 medals – seven gold, four silver and seven bronze.

Zion won gold in the boys 11-12 100m backstroke in a new meet record of 1:13.44, breaking the previous mark of 1:13.81 held by Guyanese Vladimir Woodroffe. Suriname's Sean-Verno Dipokromo was second in 1:13.61, also dipping under the previous record. Shian Griffith also got on the podium for TT earning bronze in 1:16.23.

In the boys 11-12 100m freestyle event, Zion grabbed bronze in one minute, 04.60 seconds (1:04.60). Dipokromo won gold in a meet record 1:01.39.

In the boys 13-14 100m backstroke, Jannai copped gold in 1:07.10 and erased the meet record of 1:08.50 held by TT's Keishawn Daniel. Lenin Hamilton and Maxwell Daniels, both of Bahamas, snatched silver and bronze respectively in 1:08.18 and 1:10.59.

Zion, Jadon Ramdeen, Griffith and Qadir Lewis teamed up for TT to win gold in the boys 11-12 400m medley relay in 4:56.55 breaking the record of 4:58.62 held by Guyana since 2019. Suriname took silver in 5:05.63 and Bahamas third in 5:21.32.

In the boys 13-14 400m medley relay, TT won gold in another record. Jannai, Aaron Colthrust, Brandon Balfour and Dominic Bowrin stopped the clock in 4:29.03 to break the mark of 4:29.82 held by another TT quartet since 2019.

Also earning medals on Friday for TT were Athalia Giddings (bronze - girls 8 and Under 100m freestyle), Zahara Alexander (bronze - girls 15-17 100m freestyle, 100m backstroke), Zalayhar Lewis (bronze - girls 9-10 50m breaststroke), Ramdeen (gold - boys 11-12 50m breaststroke), Qadir (silver - boys 11-12 50m breaststroke), Anya Davis (gold - girls 13-14 50m breaststroke), Colthrust (silver - boys 13-14 50m breaststroke) and Quillon Leera (gold - boys 15-17 100m backstroke).

TT added silver in the mixed 8 and Under 200m freestyle relay, silver in the girls 15-17 400m medley relay and bronze in the boys 15-17 400m medley relay.

TT are ranked fourth among the girls after day one and third among the boys.

The meet continued on Saturday.