Anthony: Carifta showing will make Trinidad and Tobago proud

NATIONAL junior swimmer Zachary Anthony wants to bring pride to Trinidad and Tobago as he hopes to deliver outstanding performances when this country hosts the 2025 Carifta Aquatics Championships at the National Aquatic Centre in Balmain, Couva, from April 19-22.

TT will also host the open water swim event at Five Islands Amusement Park, Chaguaramas, on April 23.

Additionally, the Carifta Athletics Championships will be held at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, from April 19-21. TT will match their ability against the region's best swimmers and track and field athletes.

Anthony is one of the leading swimmers on the TT team, along with Olympian Zuri Ferguson and Liam Carrington. Anthony will aim for medals in multiple events in the boys 15-17 category.

On March 20, during the launch of the Carifta Games at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Anthony said, "I would hope that the swimmers...will be able to bring back that pride, make you feel proud. We do plan coming first – all the time.

"All the swimmers are working hard as a team...stretching as a team, talking as a team. We have all the managers and coaches giving us advice all the time. We do think we can do well in Carifta."

Anthony started competing at the Carifta Games in the 11-12 age group in 2019.

"I did not really do well in that Carifta. I think I got one or two medals, but it did come as a learning experience. (You) learn from your mistakes, learn from your successes, so you can do better next time."

This is Anthony's last Carifta Games and he wants to guide the other swimmers. It is not just about winning medals at Carifta Games, as the TT swimmers will try to qualify for the Pan American Games and the World Junior Swimming Championships by achieving fast times.

Anthony wants the fans to come out in their numbers and give the swimmers an extra drive to compete.

"In my experience, Bahamas has brought a lot of their fans – rhythm section, drums, everything. Being on home soil, we can't have them come and beat us at our game. We want everybody to come out, everybody to support us, scream as loud as you can...You could bring a pan...just to push the swimmers."

At the 2024 Carifta Games, the TT swimmers finished second in the medal count and third on points behind the Bahamas and Cayman Islands. The national swimmers copped 56 medals – 24 gold, 15 silver and 17 bronze.