Carrington, Ferguson smash Carifta 100m backstroke records

Trinidad and Tobago swimmers Liam Carrington and Zuri Ferguson swam superbly on night two of the 2025 Carifta Aquatic Championships as they shattered two meet records en route to gold, in back-to-back 100 metre backstroke events, at the National Aquatic Centre in Balmain, Couva, on April 20.

Swimming out of lane four of the 15-17 girls 100m back, Ferguson made amends for an earlier fourth-place finish in the 200m freestyle when she splashed to gold in a Carifta record-breaking time of one minute and 2.48 seconds (1:02.48).

Spurred on by a vuvuzela-blowing bunch of energetic TT supporters, Ferguson showed superiority in the final, and wiped away the previous meet record of 1:02.82.

Taking silver over two seconds behind was Jamaican Carolyn Levy-Powell (1:04.83) while US Virgin Islands’ Riley Miller (1:05.85) snared bronze.

This was Ferguson’s second Carifta record set at this year’s edition, having posted a new 15-17 girls 50m backstroke time of 29.23s on day one.

With the previous Carifta record set at 56.59s, Carrington shaved over a second off it and blasted to gold in 55.32s, as the TT vuvuzelas drowned those of the other competing nations.

He easily conquered his nearest rival by over three seconds as Jamaican Brady Lewison (58.67s) and Bahamian Ellie Gibson (59.45s) rounded the top three respectively. TT’s Darren Belfon placed sixth in 1:02.33.

Earlier, the US-based Carrington got TT’s evening session off to a flyer by winning gold in the 15-17 boys 200m freestyle. Swimming out of lane one, Carrington got a strong start out the blocks and was first to the wall across each 50m leg.

On his final turn, TT’s supporters cheered him home in one minute and 49.49 seconds (1:49.49).

On his exit from the pool, Carrington was embraced by TT team members in celebration. Coming in second was Aruban Perna Fernandes (1:53.60) with Bermudan Thomas Cechini (1:54.83) holding on to third place. Also in this race was TT’s Zachary Anthony, who finished sixth in 1:56.93. With three events to go to complete night two, Carrington added silver to his tally when he clocked 4:43.37 in the 15-17 boys 400m individual medley, with compatriot Anthony (4:53.19) taking sixth.

Later on, TT’s Marena Martinez and Taylor Marchan dominated the field and captured the one-two finish in the 13-14 girls 400m individual medley.

Martinez covered the gruelling distance in 5:35.79 and was closely trailed to the finish line by compatriot Marchan, in 5:37.71, with Antiguan Anna DeGannes (5:38.88) coming in third.

Earlier, Marchan also swam to silver in the 13-14 girls 100m backstroke. She touched the wall in 1:08.14, contesting out of lane five. Jamaican Skyelar Richards (1:07.54) got the better of Marchan, winning gold, with Bahamian Skyler Smith (1:08.21) bagging bronze.

Shian Griffith was also among the medals for TT as he splashed to silver in the 13-14 boys 50m butterfly. Griffith clocked 26.67s and was edged to the line by gold medallist Jacob Collumore (26.07s) of Grenada. Cayman Islands’ Lev Fahy (26.69s) was third.

TT’s Jadon Ramdeen earned silver in the 13-14 boys 400m individual medley as he produced a speedy time of 5:03.12, from lane two. Cayman Islands’ Len Turnham-Wheatley (4:57.64) was the only swimmer to go below the five-minute mark in a golden display.

In the 11-12 boys 50m butterfly, Phillip battled hard to grab a bronze medal in the tightly contested final. Swimming out of lane five, Phillip secured bronze in 29.63s. Beating him to the line were eventual winner and Bahamian Dexter Russel (27.97s) and Aruban runner-up Leandro Santiesteban (28.51s).

In other races, Evan Gillard Bruce placed fifth (25.20s) in the 15-17 boys 50m fly.

Asia-Marie Pouchet (30.38s) was sixth in the 13-14 girls 50m fly, with compatriot Reagan Belmar (30.58s) coming in eighth.

Ferguson missed out on a medal in the 15-17 girls 200m freestyle as she placed fourth in 2:11.39. Bajan Heidi Stoute (2:06.16), Grenadian Tilly Collymore (2.08.35) and Jamaican Alexandria Cogle (2:10.87) rounded the top three respectively.

Martinez also missed the podium with a fourth place (2:16.04) finish in the 13-14 girls 200m freestyle. Fellow TT swimmer Zara Persico (2:19.46) was eighth.

Khristian Allen also placed eighth in the 11-12 boys 200m free final, clocking 2:23.90.

Allen and Anya Davis splashed to a bronze each in the morning session.

In the 11-12 boys 400m individual medley (IM), Allen, 12, clocked five minutes and 57.12 seconds (5:57.12) to claim third. Surging to gold, over 20 seconds ahead of Allen, was Suriname’s Ian Djokarso (5:36.23), while Jamaica’s Joel Sinclair (5:36.91) also took silver in a fast time.

Later on, Davis swam to third in the 15-17 girls 400m IM by recording a time of 5:40.86. Martinque’s Ludyvia Guilon-Bussi (5:36.78) emerged victorious, followed by Aruban Genisis Lacle (5:39.17) in runner-up spot.

Just before the final two events on April 20, TT captured 12 medals — four gold, five silver and three bronze (two bronze in morning session) — on day two. TT had 12 medals on day one.