Darren Belfon speeds to Carifta A backstroke mark

SWIMMER Darren Belfon achieved the Carifta A standard when the National Long Course Age Group Championships continued at the National Aquatic Centre in Couva yesterday morning.

Belfon, a TT junior swimmer representing Pt Fortin Aqua Darts, crushed his opponents in the preliminaries of the boys' 15-17 100-metre backstroke in 59.88 seconds. It was fast enough to dip under the A standard of one minute, .17 seconds (1:00.17).

Zachary Anthony of Marlins was second in 1:04.14 and Quillon Leera of RWB Aquatic Academy ended third in 1:04.63.

Achieving the Carifta B standard was unattached swimmer Zuri Ferguson in the girls 15-17 200m freestyle preliminaries in a winning time of 2:11.50. Keryn Burke (2:18.75) and Amari Ash (2:21.60) were second and third respectively.

In the boys 13-14 50m breaststroke heats, Aaron Colthrust of Flying Fish Swim Club won in 32.62 and went under the B standard of 33.44. Alejandro Agard of Marlins and Jaden Mills of Flying Fish ended in 33.83 and 34.60 respectively.

Swimmers continued to achieve the Carifta standard as Tyla Ho A Shu of RWB was impressive in the prelims of the girls' 15-17 50m breaststroke. She stopped the clock in 34.63 to achieve the B standard of 36.11. Her clubmates Anya Davis (37.66) and Maidan Edwards (37.92) finished second and third.

Other events where swimmers achieved the B standard were in the boys' 13-14 100m backstroke (Agard) and in the girls' 15-17 100m backstroke (Ferguson).

On Friday night, many swimmers achieved the Carfita B mark when finals were held. Among them were Marlins pair Zara Perisco and Marena Martinez in the finals of the girls' 11-12 100m freestyle finals. Perisco won in 1:04.25 and Martinez was second in 1:05.44.

Ferguson (girls 15-17 100m freestyle, 50m backstroke); Anthony (boys 15-17 100m freestyle); Perisco (girls 11-12 50m backstroke); Jonathan Sambrano (boys 13-14 50m backstroke); Belfon (boys 15-17 50m backstroke); Johann-Matthew Matamoro (boys 18 and over 50m backstroke); Zalayhar Lewis (girls 11-12 100m breaststroke); Colthrust (boys 13-14 100m breaststroke); and Aaron Siewlal (boys 13-14 200m butterfly) also swam their way to the Carifta B standard.

Action at the meet continued last night and ends today.