Guyana is being well represented, by a fifteen strong contingent comprising of members from the Dorado Speed Swim Club and the Swim Academy Sea Otters, at the Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ASATT) 2017 Invitational which is being held at the National Aquatic Centre in Couva.
The annual long course meet which serves as a qualifier for New Year meets, concludes tomorrow, with competition coming from local clubs, as well as, entries from around the Caribbean.
Topping the performances of the Guyana contingent on the first day of the four day meet was Daniel Scott. In a record breaking swim, the Dorado Swim Club member rewrote the local time in the boys 15-17 1500m freestyle event, with a time of 18: 21:91. Scott is no stranger to distance events in Trinidad having previously competed at the ASATT Maracas Bay Open Water Swim. Winning the race was Trinidadian Graham Chatoor who finished ahead of the competition in 17:10:67, with compatriot Jordane Payne finishing third in 18:51. Scott’s clubmate, Alex Winter was also in good form in the 1500m race, finishing in fourth with a time of 19:58.
Dorado’s Amy Grant swam to the gold medal in the girls division in the same event and age group in a time of 21:56.
In the other event for the day, the 50m backstroke saw more of the Guyanese youngsters competing. Dorado’s Valdimir Woodroofe recorded a time of 38:02, to earning the bronze medal in the boys’ 9-10 age group, in a field of thirty-two swimmers. Taking the gold was Giovanni Rivas of the Flying Fish Swim Club of Trinidad and Tobago, in 36:80, with countryman Andre Sandy taking the silver medal in 37:72. Woodroofe’s club mates Elliot Gonsalves and Jason Allen clocked times of 42:56 and 52:03, respectively.
Dorado’s Monique Watson finished fifth, among 41 entrants in the girls 9-10 category in a time of 38:02. Teammate Zara Crane completed the distance in 44:50. T&T’s Tidal Wave Aquatics’ Joy Blackett winning time was 36:32.
Dorado’s Lian Winter DOR, competing in the girls 11-12 age group, returned a time of 35:81 to finish seventh in a field of 39 competitors. Her club mate Giselle Crane finished thirteenth in 38.40. Tidal Wave Aquatics’ Neishelah Caseman took the gold in 34:12.
Swim Academy Sea Otters’ Raekwon Noel finished 12th , out of 46 swimmers in the boys 11-12 age group, in 34:63, with Zarek Wilson of T&T’s Blue Dolphin Swim Club taking the gold with a time of 30:73.
In the girls’ 13-14 age group, Dorado’s Donna Carter swam the event in 36:93, finishing thirteenth. Her young teammates Kyra Soares and Jasmin Allen earned the fifteenth and nineteenth positions amongst 28 starters in the girls 8 and under, with times of 52:07 and 53:57 respectively.
The competition continued yesterday with the swimmers taking to the pool in the 100m freestyle, 200m backstroke, 50 butterfly, 4 x 100m freestyle relays. (Noelle Smith)
