Raekwon Noel, Zachary Burke achieve Carifta A times at Swim Champs

RAEKWON Noel and Zachary Burke achieved Carifta A standards at the Aquatic Sports Association of TT Invitational Swimming Championships at the National Aquatic Centre in Balmain, Couva.

On Sunday, Guyanese Noel won the men's 15 and Over 400-metre freestyle in four minutes, 07.08 seconds (4.07.08), but what was more significant is that he dipped below the Carifta A standard of 4:10.02.

Zachary Anthony of Marlins was a distant second in 4:20.47, but it was fast enough for the Carifta B standard of 4:21.18. Vladimir Woodroffe of Guyana ended third in 4:32.49.

Many other swimmers attained Carifta B standards.

There were impressive performances in the girls 11-12 400m freestyle as the top three went under the B standard of 5:05.20. The Marlins pair of Zara Persico and Marena Martinez were first and second respectively in 5:01.00 and 5:04.72. In third place was Anya De Gannes of VIPER in 5:05.10.

Two swimmers made the B standard in the boys 11-12 200m inidividual medley. Burke stopped the clock in 2:31.02 to go under the B time of 2:40.72 and Aaron Siewlal ended second in 2:39.07.

On Saturday night, Burke won the boys 11-12 50m breaststroke in 33.07, comfortably earning the A standard of 34.48. The race was a fast one as the second, third and fourth place finishers all earned the B time of 36.72.

Jadon Ramdeen clocked 34.88, Qadir Lewis was third in 35.23 and Ethan McMillan-Cole finished in 35.25.

In the boys 11-12 100m butterfly, Siewlal just missed out on the A standard of 1:05.50 when he touched the wall in 1:05.62. Other than Siewlal, second placed Shian Griffith achieved the B standard of 1:10.26, finishing in 1:09.06.

In the girls 11-12 200m backstroke, winner Amiya Harrison dipped under the B time of 2:46.59 to win the event in 2:45.95. Asia-Marie Pouchet was second in 2:46.00 to attain the B standard also.