Trinidad and Tobago swimmers bag 15 gold medals at Carifta Championships

Trinidad and Tobago swimmers continued to add gold medals to their tally at the Carifta Swimming Aquatic Championships being held at the Betty Kelly-Kenning Aquatic Centre in the Bahamas.

At the end of March 31’s events, TT had a total of 29 medals – 15 gold, six silver, and eight bronze. TT are second in the medal standings and third in the points standings.

The TT swimmers have a total of 317 points, behind the Cayman Islands (341) and leaders Bahamas (525.5).

Ethan McMillan-Cole copped a gold medal for TT in the boys’ 11-12 200m breaststroke. McMillan-Cole was an easy winner as the second-placed finisher was five seconds behind.

The TT swimmer won in a time of two minutes, 49.68 seconds (2:49.68) and Christon Joseph of Bahamas took silver in 2:54.90. Zayron Werleman of Aruba also got on the podium with a third-place finish in 3:04.24.

Alejandro Agard bagged gold for TT in the boys’ 13-14 200m breaststroke in 2:37.48, just ahead of Jamaican Kai Radcliffe who stopped the clock in 2:37.94. William Farrington of the Bahamas ended third in 2:38.01.

TT continued to earn gold medals as Zuri Ferguson touched the wall first in the girls’ 15-17 50m backstroke in 30.08, Sierrah Broadbelt of Cayman Islands was second in 30.98, and Jamaican Leanna Wainwright ended third in 31.32 seconds.

Liam Carrington showed his quality for TT in the boys’ 15-17 50m backstroke as he finished first in 26.59. Marvin Johnson of the Bahamas and Jamaican Malcolm McKenzie snatched silver and bronze respectively in 27.04 and 27.33.

It was a one-two finish for TT in the boys’ 18 and over 50m backstroke final as Christian Awah and Johann-Matthew Matamoro stopped the clock in 26.82 and 27.30 respectively. Grenadian Zachary Gresham was third in 27.43.

Zara Persico of TT won gold in 2:16.44 in the girls’ 11-12 200m freestyle, Reagan Uszenski of US Virgin Islands was second in 2:17.52, and Alissa Ferguson of Bahamas grabbed third spot in 2:18.89.

Adding individual gold for TT were Jaden Mills (boys 13-14 50m butterfly); Ferguson (girls 15-17 100m backstroke); Carrington (boys 15-17 100m backstroke); and Matamoro (boys 18 and Over 100m backstroke).

In the relay events, the TT teams won multiple gold medals. The boys 13-14 4x100m relay team bagged gold in 3:47.00, ahead of Jamaica (3:52.28) and Bahamas (3:55.30).

In the boys 15-17 4x100m freestyle, TT won in 3:32.24 as the Bahamas (3:34.37) and Jamaica (3:34.87) had to settle for silver and bronze. The TT boys 13-14 400m relay team bagged gold in 4:15.52, and the girls 15-17 400m medley team added gold also.

Other athletes and teams who copped silver and bronze medals for TT were Mills (bronze - boys 13-14 100m butterfly); the girls 11-12 4x100m freestyle relay team (silver); the girls 15-17 4x100m relay team (bronze); Carrington (silver - boys 15-17 200m freestyle, silver - boys 15-17 400m individual medley); Jonathan Sambrano (silver - boys 13-14 50m butterfly); Taylor Marchan (bronze - girls 11-12 100m backstroke, bronze - girls 11-12 400m individual medley); Marena Martinez (girls 11-12 400m individual medley); Aimee Le Blanc (bronze - girls 13-14 400m individual medley); Agard (bronze - boys 13-14 400m individual medley); and the girls 11-12 400m medley relay team (bronze).

TT Olympian Dylan Carter won the boys 18 and Over 50m butterfly in 23.42, which was an exhibition race.

Action at the meet continued yesterday.