29th Carifta Swimming Championships: Mon.21st to Sun.27th April 2014

[Socapro]

Please post news and results in this thread thanks!
Below is news on the T&T team.

Link for dedicated facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carifta-2014-ARUBA/439508376184183

Florida-based Donahue out Carifta swim team
Published: Thursday, April 17, 2014
Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian)

Florida-based Alexandria Donahue has withdrawn from the T&T team which departs on Sunday to compete at the 29th Carifta Swimming Championships from Monday to Sunday at the Piscina Olimpico Roly Bislik, Oranjestad, Savaneta, Aruba, the same venue as in 2009.
 
Donahue, who attends Plant Senior High School, was a key member of both the Carifta, and Central American and Caribbean Amateur Swimming Confederation (CCCAN) meets for the past years and was expected to play a vital role at this meet as well but is unavailable.
 
Last year, she swam to gold in the 15-17 girls 100 metres breaststroke (1:12.33 mins) and silver in the 15-17 girls 200m breaststroke in 2:43.05, to deny Jamaican duo Zara Bailey (2:41.37) and Breanna Roman (2:44.14), a one-two finish at the Carifta meet in Jamaica while at the CCCAN event, she won the CCCAN 100m breaststroke in 1:14.01 and also added a bronze.
 
Despite her absence, T&T will be represented by a very competitive 33-member team led by David Mc Leod and Jabari Baptiste for the Carifta meet which is expected to be a very competitive one as it will serve as an official qualifying meet for the 16th FINA World Championships 2015 which will be held in Kazan, Russia.
 
It has already been approved as a qualifying meet for Central American and Caribbean Games (CAC) in Veracruz, Mexico and the Youth Olympic Games.
 
In Aruba, T&T will be aiming for its first team title since 2010 in Jamaica after it ended second on the medal table with a haul of 51 (22 gold, 16 silver and 13 bronze), 13 behind Guadeloupe (17 gold, 28 silver and 19 bronze) last year while Aruba was third with 50 (21 gold, 17 silver and 12 bronze). It was the third straight win for Guadeloupe.
 
At the Amateur Swimming Association National Long Course swim meet which was held in March, Mc Leod of Atlantis Aquatics and Baptiste of Marlins used the event which served as a qualifier for the Carifta Swim meet and Caribbean Islands Swimming Championship, to book tickets to the Nanjing, China Youth Olympic by bettering qualifying times in the 15-17 boys 50m freestyle.
 
Mc Leod won the event in 23.98 while Baptiste took silver in 24.20 seconds as they both dipped under the B standard qualifying time while attaining Carifta A and B marks as well.
 
Also in the swim squad is Jada Chai of Atlantis, the standout swimmer at the long course event with no fewer than 12 Carifta qualifying times attained, and Arieos Aquatechs’ Kristin Julien, who has also secured a ticket to China. T&T will also be represented in the Open Water swim where the girls 15-17 trio of David-sisters, Syriah and Shania, and Theana Hay are medal contenders.
 
Last year in Jamaica, Syriah won the 15-17 Open Water gold while Hay got silver, and Shania won silver in the 13-14 category, and Christian Marsden, bronze in the boys’ equivalent.
 
For the swim team, Marlins’ Mark Pouchet will serve as head coach while former ASATT president, Hazel Haynes of Tidal Wave Aquatics has been appointed coach of the Open Water team.
 
The duo of Brian Wickham (Centre of Excellence Sea Hawks) and Chabeth Haynes (Tidal Wave) are also part of the coaching staff which will be managed by former national swimmer, Shastri Sankar.
 
On return home, the local swimmers will then turn their attention to the Caribbean Islands Swimming Championship carded for Barbados in July.
 
T&T Carifta Swimming team
 
Open Water
 
13-14 Boys: Christian Marsden, Kael Yorke, James Gillette
 
15-17 Boys: Jivan Chee Foon, Andrew Gillette, Kyle Caracciolo
 
15-17 Girls: Syriah David, Theana Hay, Shania David
Swimmers
 
11-12 Girls: Jada Chai, Jahmia Harley, Vrisnelit Faure, Deshor Edwards, Sabrina David
 
11-12 Boys: Gabriel Bynoe, Aqeel Joseph, Josiah Duke, Luke Gillette, Jae-Hwa Lee Wing, Jean-Marc Granderson
 
13-14 Girls: Amira Pilgrim
 
13-14 Boys: Justin Samlalsingh, Kael Yorke, Christian Marsden, Osaze Riley, James Gillette, Jeron Thompson, Dario Omiss, Christopher Mohammed
 
15-17 Girls: Kristen Julien, Ariel Cape, Syriah David,
 
15-17 Boys: David Mc Leod, Jabari Baptiste, Jeron O’Brien, Jonathan Farah, Joshua Ramkissoon.

[maxg]

T&T swimmers set for Aruba plunge
By Mark Pouchet (Trinidad Express)
Story Created: Apr 18, 2014 at 8:09 PM ECT
Story Updated: Apr 18, 2014 at 8:09 PM ECT
Youth Olympic qualifiers Kristin Julien, Jabari Baptiste and David Mc Leod will lead a 33-member T&T team into a battle with 20 other Caribbean nations when the 29th Carifta Swimming Championships splash off at the Piscina Olimpico Roly Bislik, Oranjestad, Savaneta, Aruba, from Tuesday to Saturday. The team wings out to the Dutch Caribbean Island tomorrow from midday.
But as much as the quality and star power of the trio of Julien, Baptiste and Mc Leod is indisputable, what is also incontrovertible is the star, points-earning and medal-winning power the team has lost from last year’s squad. For one reason or the other, team T&T have lost seven of the swimmers who brought in 23 of their 47 medals year.
Among them figure World Junior Swimming Championship silver medallist Dylan Carter (3 gold 1 silver), currently a freshman at the University of Southern California (USC) who has scholastic commitments; Joshua Romany (1 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze), who aged out and is tipped to attend university in September, US-based Alexandria Donahue (1 gold, 2 silver) and Tyla Martin (4 gold, 1 silver), and the pair of UK-based Rebecca Marshall (1 bronze, 1 silver) and Canada-based Jonathan Ramkissoon (1 silver, 1 bronze), both who like Romany aged out of junior swimming. Canada-based Andre Goin (2 gold, 1 silver) is also not making the trip this year.
The T&T team’s drive to retain the crown they last held in Jamaica 2010 is also handicapped this year by a new entry criteria that does not allow swimmers already qualified in specific events  to participate in other events they have not qualified in, a practice followed by other countries.
But despite those issues, the opportunities are there for younger swimmers to step in and fill some of the void left by the departure of the experienced and heralded swimmers like Carter and company at the meet sanctioned  as an official qualifying meet for the 16th FINA World Championships 2015 scheduled for Kazan, Russia.
Carifta has already been approved as a qualifying meet for Central American and Caribbean Games (CAC) in Veracruz, Mexico in October and the Youth Olympic Games in China from August 16-28.
Jada Chai of Atlantis, the standout swimmer at the long course event with no fewer than 12 Carifta qualifying times attained, is expected to join forces with Mc Leod, Baptiste and Julien to bolster the T&T team’s efforts.
On the Open Water side of the competition, the girls 15-17 trio of David sisters, Syriah and Shania, and Theana Hay are medal contenders.
Last year in Jamaica, Syriah won the 15-17 Open Water gold while Hay got silver. And Shania won silver in the 13-14 category while Christian Marsden secured bronze in the boys’ equivalent.
For the swim team, Marlins’ Mark Pouchet will serve as head coach while former ASATT president Hazel Haynes of Tidal Wave Aquatics has been appointed  head coach of the Open Water team.
The duo of Brian Wickham (Centre of Excellence Sea Hawks) and Chabeth Haynes (Tidal Wave) are also part of the coaching staff which will be managed by Petrotrin Barracudas’ Shastri Sankar.

[Socapro]

Coach Pouchet optimistic as swimmers leave for Carifta
Published: Sunday, April 20, 2014 (T&T Guardian)

David Mc Leod and Jabari Baptiste lead a 33-member team which departs today to compete at the 29th Carifta Swimming Championships from Monday to Sunday at the Piscina Olimpico Roly Bislik, Oranjestad, Savaneta, Aruba. The duo are coming off of impressive performances at the Amateur Swimming Association National Long Course swim meet which was held in March, in which they earned qualification to the Nanjing, China Youth Olympic by bettering qualifying times in the 15-17 boys 50m freestyle.
Mc Leod won the event in 23.98 while Baptiste took silver in 24.20 seconds as they both dipped under the B standard qualifying time while attaining Carifta A and B marks as well.

Also in the squad are Jada Chai of Atlantis, the standout swimmer at the long course event with no fewer than 12 Carifta qualifying times attained, Arieos Aquatechs’ Kristin Julien, who has also secured a ticket to China.
However, the local contingent’s chances of dethroning champions Guadeloupe has been hit with the absence of a key swimmers which according to head coach Mark Pouchet will be tough to overcome as he remains optimistic about their title chances. Speaking yesterday on the eve of the team’s departure Pouchet said, “This year we are without seven of our top swimmers who brought in 23 of the 47 medals we won last year in Jamaica including Dylan Carter, Joshua Romany, Alexandria Donahue, Tyla Martin, Andre Goin, Joshua Ramkissoon and Rebecca Marshall, so going for the title will be difficult.” According to Pouchet, ​”Some of the swimmers have gone past the age-limit for the Carifta Games while the others have commitments. However, in the case of Donahue’s who attends Plant Senior High School, in Florida she opted out of the Carifta meet beacuse she has accelerated her course work in order to graduate one year early from high school.
 
“She needs to finish up all of her classes by May 1, in order to meet the requirements and earlier this week she signed scholarship documents for the University of Florida, where she committed to swim in August 2014, joining fellow T&T swimmer Christian Paul Homer,” he said. However, Pouchet said the team still had a good crop of swimmers who will do the team well.
“We do have quality in Jabari Baptiste, Kristin Julien and David Mc Leod , all Youth Olympic qualifiers. Additionally, Jada Chai is expected to pick up medals and fill part of the void left by the last year's top swimmers.” He added, “The team has been prepared well and we expect personal bests and medal winning performances from 95 to 100 per cent of the swimmers. We are also only fielding relays in three of the six age-groups and relays offer double points so we start behind there. “Overall, Pouchet said the team has a good chemistry and the swimmers will be primed to give of their best in the events they are taking part in. Asked his overall aim for the team, Pouchet while not certain of dethroning Guadeloupe, was adamant his team was strong enough for a top five finish. We are also hoping to see some swimmers step up with their performances, he ended.
 
T&T Carifta Swimming Team
Open Water
13-14 Boys: Christian Marsden, Kael Yorke, James Gillette
15-17 Boys: Jivan Chee Foon, Andrew Gillette, Kyle Caracciolo
15-17 Girls: Syriah David, Theana Hay, Shania David
Swimmers
11-12 Girls: Jada Chai, Jahmia Harley, Vrisnelit Faure, Deshor Edwards, Sabrina David
11-12 Boys: Gabriel Bynoe, Aqeel Joseph, Josiah Duke, Luke Gillette, Jae-Hwa Lee Wing, Jean-Marc Granderson
13-14 Girls: Amira Pilgrim
13-14 Boys: Justin Samlalsingh, Kael Yorke, Christian Marsden, Osaze Riley, James Gillette, Jeron Thompson, Dario Omiss, Christopher Mohammed
15-17 Girls: Kristen Julien, Ariel Cape, Syriah David,
15-17 Boys: David Mc Leod, Jabari Baptiste, Jeron O’Brien, Jonathan Farah, Joshua Ramkissoon
Technical staff: Mark Pouchet (swimming coach), Hazel Haynes (open water coach), Brian Wickham (assistant coach), Chabeth Haynes (assistant coach), Shastri Sankar (manager).

[Swima]

Steups! "we are confident of finishing top 5" Corruption and greed in this country is sickening! I am nearing the end of my patience with all things sport in Trinidad and Tobago!

Hey ASATT, I read about this new concept in sports called putting all athletes first. Guess what the intended outcome is.... everyone winning!

[asylumseeker]

Having been recruited by Gregg Troy, Donahue hadda have some promise.

[Swima]

Having been recruited by Gregg Troy, Donahue hadda have some promise.

She does, but Florida desperately need a breastroker and she is in state and a lot cheaper than getting some of the other girls out of state.

[asylumseeker]

Having been recruited by Gregg Troy, Donahue hadda have some promise.

She does, but Florida desperately need a breastroker and she is in state and a lot cheaper than getting some of the other girls out of state.

Not surprised to hear the budgeting factor. Makes absolute sense, and a great opportunity with an upside for her.

[Deeks]

What's up with the swimming!

[maxg]

 

Steups! "we are confident of finishing top 5" Corruption and greed in this country is sickening! I am nearing the end of my patience with all things sport in Trinidad and Tobago!

Hey ASATT, I read about this new concept in sports called putting all athletes first. Guess what the intended outcome is.... everyone winning!

   

[Socapro]

T&T swimmers in action
By Mark Pouchet
Story Created: Apr 21, 2014 at 9:19 PM ECT (T&T Express)

Youth Olympic qualifiers Jabari Baptiste, Kristin julien and David McLeod all splash into action today when the first day of the 29th Carifta Swimming Championships gets underway at the Roly Bislik Olympic Pook in Savanetta, Orajestad, Aruba.

Carifta has already been approved as a qualifying meet for Central American and Caribbean Games (CAC) in Veracruz, Mexico in October and the Youth Olympic Games in China from August 16-28. This morning preliminaries should be a warm up for tonight’s final for many of the T&T swimmers.

And Trinidad and Tobago’s first medal could come from youngster Jada Chai in the Girls 11-12 50m backstroke. Her team Jahmia Harley lines up with her in that event. Chai and teammate Vrisnelit Faure are also  ranked 1-2 in the Girls 11-12 100m butterfly. Faure also has the second fastest seed time for the Girls 200m breaststroke, an event in which T&T’s other representative  is Sabrina David.

Other swimmers will also be looking to fill the void left by the absence of seven major points and medal winners from last year’s team  that included historic World Junior Swimming Championship silver medallist Dylan Carter, out through scholastic commitments to his University of Southern California.

Justin Samlalsingh has a great shot at gold given that he crashed into the lane rope during his qualification for the Boys 13-14 50m backstroke and still achieved the ‘A’ qualifying standard (the equivalent of the median third place time for the last three editions of (Carifta). Julien is the top-seed in the Girls 15-17 50m backstroke and a favourite for gold. Teammate Ariel Cape is seeded fifth.

McLeod’s Youth Olympics ‘A’ qualifying standard earned him the top seed with teammate Baptiste ranked third in the Boys 15-17 50m backstroke. Baptiste is seeded second in the Boys 15-17 100m butterfly, a similar seed for Kael Yorke in the Boys 13-14 100m fly.

And in the Boys 11-12 , Aqeel Joseph and Gabriel Bynoe line up in the 50m backstroke while Joseph and Luke Gillette face the starter in the 100m butterfly. T&T will also be represented in three of six relays on the night featuring the 4 x 100m freestyle relay—the Girls 11-12, the Boys 13 -14 and the Boys 15-17.

[Socapro]

Baptiste, Julien, Mc Leod in action as T&T starts Carifta swim hunt
Published: Tuesday, April 22, 2014 (T&T Guardian)

This country will begin its quest for a first Carifta Swimming Championship team title since 2010 when the 29th edition of the event splashes off at the Piscina Olimpico Roly Bislik, Oranjestad, Savaneta, Aruba, today.
 
Last year, T&T swimmers ended second on the medal table with 51 medals (22 gold, 16 silver and 13 bronze), 13 behind Guadeloupe (17 gold, 28 silver and 19 bronze) which won for a third straight year while Aruba was third with 50 (21 gold, 17 silver and 12 bronze).
 
Leading the charge for T&T, led by coach Mark Pouchet, will be the trio Nanjing, China Youth Olympic Games-bound swimmers in Kristin Julien, David Mc Leod and Jabari Baptiste who will all be in action in morning heats with the finals scheduled for tonight from 6 pm.
 
The heats should be a warm-up for a number of T&T swimmers who are expected to advanced to their respective finals.
 
Julien is the top-seed in the 15-17 girls 50m backstroke and a favourite for gold while team-mate Ariel Cape is ranked fifth in the same event. Mc Leod’s will enter the 15-17 boys 50m backstroke as the top seed as well based on his Youth Olympics A qualifying standard time while Baptiste is ranked third, and the latter will also line up in the 100m butterfly as the second ranked swimmer.
 
Among the other T&T early medal hopefuls are Jada Chai and Jahmia Harley in the 11-2 girls 50m backstroke; Chai and Vrisnelit Faure in the 100m butterfly while Faure and Sabrina David compete in the 200m breaststroke.
 
In the 13-14 boys 100m butterfly, Kael Yorke goes after gold while Justin Samlalsingh is favourite in the 13-14 boys 50m backstroke, and in the 11-12 boys 100m butterfly, Aqeel Joseph and Luke Gillette are entered.
 
Joseph and Gabriel Bynoe will represent T&T in the 11-12 boys 50m backstroke.
 
This year, the T&T squad while is not favoured to win the overall title though, as it is without seven of its top swimmers who brought in 23 of the 47 medals won last year in Jamaica including Dylan Carter, Joshua Romany, Alexandria Donahue, Tyla Martin, Andre Goin, Joshua Ramkissoon and Rebecca Marshall due to other commitments, mainly school studies. However, Pouchet said the team still had a good crop of swimmers who will do the team well led by Baptiste, Julien and Mc Leod, all Youth Olympic qualifiers.
 
He added, “The team has been prepared well and we expect personal bests and medal winning performances from 95 to 100 per cent of the swimmers. We are also only fielding relays in three of the six age-groups and relays offer double points so we start behind there.
 
T&T will also be represented in three of six relay finals tonightt featuring the 4 x 100m freestyle relay- the girls 11-12; boys 13 -14 and boys 15-17 where the 13-14 quartet of Yorke, Osaze Riley, James Gillete and Christopher Mohammed are the top seeds.
 
In Aruba, T&T will also compete in the Open Water events.
 
The Carifta Championships will also serve as an official qualifying meet for the 16th FINA World Championships 2015 which will be held in Kazan, Russia. and has already been approved as a qualifying meet for Central American and Caribbean Games (CAC) in Veracruz, Mexico and the Youth Olympic Games.

[Deeks]

Is the meet going on? No results. No internet links?

[Socapro]

Is the meet going on? No results. No internet links?

Check these links: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carifta-2014-ARUBA/439508376184183
https://www.arubaswimming.com/
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/carifta-2014-aruba

[Swima]

We won 6 gold on night 1 and broke 2 meet records, which were both Youth Olympic A times, We are jointly second on the points table after night one and trail the Bahamas by 25 points.

[Socapro]

Swimmers go for glory
By Mark Pouchet (T&T Express)
Story Created: Apr 22, 2014 at 9:21 PM ECT

David Mc Leod, Kristin Julien, Jada Chai and Justin Samlalsingh were all competing for gold last night, the first night of the 29th Carifta Swimming Championships in Savonetta, Oranjestad.

Up to press time, finals results weren’t available. But at the Roly Bislik Olympic pool, the four Trinidad and Tobago swimmers were ranked first in their events after the morning preliminaries yesterday.

Mc Leod, the Youth Olympics standard achiever, splashed one length of the Boys 15-17  50m backstroke in 26.93 to earn lane four in the finals, reserved for the fastest qualifier.

His teammate and fellow Youth Olympic qualifying mark achiever, Jabari Baptiste was third fastest in 28.19.

Another swimmer with an Youth Olympic qualifying mark, Julien was easily the fastest out of the morning prelims when she sped to 30.84 in thw Girls 15-17 50m backstroke while her teammate Ariel Cape was fifth in 32.87. Samlalsingh registered a personal best 28.66 to best all comers in the Boys 13-14 50 m backstroke.

And Chai was strokes ahead of the competition in the Girls 11-12 100m butterfly in 1:08.29. Teammate Vrisnelit Faure qualifued fourtb in 1:11.94. Chai also had a medal shot in the Girls 11-12 50m back when she was third fastest in 32.62 with teammate Jahmia Harley seventh after a 33.75 prelims effort.

Faure and Sabrina David lined up for the finals of the Girls 11-12 200m breaststroke with swims of 3:04.72 and 3:06.10 respectively. T&T were also seeking medals in three of six  relays they were entered in last night , including thw Girls 11-12,  the Boys 13-14 and the Boys 15-17.

Other swimmers with medal winning potential are Baptiste in the Boys 15-17 100m butterfly, fifth in 59.10 and Kael Yorke ranked third in the Boys 13-14 100 m butterfly (1:00.98) The four-day regional age-group swim meet  continues today.

[Socapro]

Six gold for TT at CARIFTA swim
Thursday, April 24 2014 (T&T Newsday)

TRINIDAD AND Tobago collected six gold medals on Tuesday evening, as the 29th CARIFTA Swimming Championships began at Savaneta, Aruba.

The TT team claimed a total of ten medals on the opening day, inclusive of two silver and two bronze medals.

There were two CARIFTA records set by TT swimmers on Tuesday. Firstly, Kristin Julien triumphed in the girls 15-17 50-metre backstroke in a time of 29.84 seconds, smashing the previous mark of 30.05 set by countrywoman Kimberlee John-Williams in 2012. Brienne Renfurm of Suriname and Charlotte Backovic of Guadeloupe were next, in 30.59 and 30.62 respectively.

In the boys 15-17 equivalent, David McLeod lowered the 2010 standard set by his compatriot Christian Homer (26.70). McLeod completed the race in 26.31, ahead of fellow TT entrant Jabari Baptiste (27.51) and Dionisio Carey of Bahamas (28.01).

Jada Chai copped gold in the girls 11-12 100m butterfly, in a time of one minute 8.31 seconds, followed by Emma Harvey of Bermuda (1:08.60) and Elisabeth Timmer of Aruba (1:10.47)

Justin Samlalsingh was victorious in the boys 13-14 50m backstroke, in 28.42, ahead of Noah Mascoll-Gomes of Antigua/Barbuda (28.82) and Patrick Groters of Aruba (28.89). There were two other gold medals for Trinidad and Tobago, in the 400m (4x100m) freestyle relays.

The foursome of Deshor Edwards, Jahmia Harley, Vrisnelit Faure and Chai won the girls 11-12 version in 4:22.73, with Bermuda (4:22.93) and Aruba (4:27.22) next, while the quartet of McLeod, Joshua Ramkissoon, Jeron O’Brien and Baptiste prevailed in the boys 15-17 event in 3:35.81, followed by Martinique (3:37.30) and Bahamas (3:40.55).

TT (Osaze Riley, James Gillette, Christopher Mohammed and Kael Yorke) claimed silver in the boys 13-14 400m freestyle relay in 3:47.05. Jamaica won the race in 3:46.99 while Martinique were third in 3:47.88.

Earlier, Chai finished third in the girls 11-12 50m backstroke in 32.79, trailing Emma Harvey (a Games record 31.93) and Danielle Titus of Barbados (32.02).

And Yorke got bronze in the boys 13-14 100m butterfly. He completed the race in 1:00.61, behind Jesse Washington of Bermuda (58.77) and Samuel Marinette of Guadeloupe (1:00.07).

[Socapro]

MORE GOLD
Mc Leod, Julien spearhead T&T challenge
By Mark Pouchet (T&T Express)
Story Created: Apr 24, 2014 at 10:24 PM ECT

Youth Olympic qualifiers David Mc Leod and Kristin Julien again spearheaded Trinidad amd Tobago’s medal-winning efforts as the second day of the 29th Carifta Swimming Championships concluded Wednesday night at the Roly Bislik Olympic pool.

At the Savanetta, Oranjestad venue, Mc Leod and Julien dashed to gold in the Boys and Girls 15-17 100m backstroke events, respectively, and Mc Leod was also part of one of three gold medal-winning relays for T&T. On the night, Team T&T amassed five gold, three silver, and three bronze for 11 medals and a two-day medal aggregate of 21 (11 gold, five silver and five bronze). T&T dropped one spot to third in the overall points tally, with 264.5 behind leaders the Bahamas (356) and hosts Aruba (284). Defending champions Guadeloupe are fourth (243) and fellow French-speaking Caribbean country Martinique (236) round out the top five.
 
Mc Leod and Jabari again dominated the backstroke event, this time in the 100m in producing 58.72 and 59.84 respectively. Earlier Julien out-paced her rivals when she touched the pad in 1:06.39. The Girls 11-12 4 x 100m medley relay team of Jahmia Harley, Vrisnelit Faure, Jada Chai and Deshor Edwards won gold for the second evening straight. Although it was another come from behind victory, it was a much more convincing triumph. They posted a 4:56.00 to beat Curaçao (5:01.08) and Guadeloupe (5:02.45).

The Boys 13-14 4 x 100m medley made amends for their narrow defeat in Tuesday’s 4 x 100m free relay when the team of Justin Samlalsingh, Dario Omiss, Kael Yorke and Osaze Riley pipped Martinique 4:13.26 to 4:13.42. And the Boys 15-17 4 x 100m medley of Mc Leod, Jeron O’Brien, Joshua Ramkissoo n amd Jabari Baptiste led from start to finish to stamp their authority in that age group.

Yorke splashed to silver in the Boys 13-14 50 m fly when he stopped the time pad in 26.48 while Julien (29.02) also won silver in the Girls 15-17 edition of that event. Samlalsingh also earned silver in the Boys 13-14 100m back in  a PB of 1:02.53 in a race which Aruba’s Patrick Groters won in 1:01.99. Chai swam her way to two bronze in the Girls 11-12 200m freestyle (2:18.78) with teammate Jahmia Harley fourth in 2:18.87. Then she won bronze in the Girls 11-12 50 m butterfly in 30.29. Amira Pilgrim also claimed bronze in the Girls 13-14 50m butterfly in a new best time of 29.41.

The swimming part of the competition concludes today with the 50m free, 200m backstroke, 100m breaststroke and 4 x 50m freestyle relay events while the open water segment of the competition splashes off tomorrow from 8 a.m. where Theana Hay and Syriah David willl lead the T&T charge.

[Deeks]

TT second on the table. Bahamas first. And we about 5th in the points table. I watching a stream. It is the jokiest coverage. The camera is the worst. And the commentary is nonexistant. Only when they reach the wall the commentator announce the first 3. The only good thing the playing plenty soca, zouk, and reggae when they swimming.

[Socapro]

Gold rush for T&T swimmers
Friday, April 25 2014 (T&T Newsday)

THE TRINIDAD and Tobago swim team collected 12 more medals on Wednesday evening, on the second day of the 29th Carifta Swimming Championships in Savaneta, Aruba. On Wednesday, the TT team got five gold, four silver and three bronze medals.

Trinidad and Tobago have the most gold medals (11), to go along with six silver and five bronze medals. But, on the overall count, the TT haul of 22 trails Bahamas (ten gold, 11 silver and four bronze) and Aruba (seven gold, eight silver and ten bronze), who each have 25 medals after two days of action.

Kristin Julien was the first TT winner on Wednesday, in the girls 15-17 100-metre backstroke, in a time of one minute 6.39 seconds, ahead of Brienne Renfurm of Suriname (1:07.85) and Danielle Boothe of Jamaica (1:08.02). It was a TT one-two in the boys 15-17 100m backstroke, with David McLeod (58.72) touching the wall ahead of Jabari Baptiste (59.82), while Keanan Dols of Jamaica (1:01.16) was third.

Trinidad and Tobago’s other victories on Wednesday were in the 400m (4x100m) medley relays. In the girls 11-12, the group of Jahmia Harley, Vrisnelit Faure, Jada Chai and Deshor Edwards prevailed in 4:56.00, followed by Curacao (5:01.08) and Guadeloupe (5:02.45), while Justin Samlalsingh, Dario Omiss, Kael Yorke and Osaze Riley combined to win the boys 13-14 version in 4:13.26, ahead of Martinique (4:13.42) and Jamaica (4:18.00).

And, in the boys 15-17 400m medley relay, the quartet of McLeod, Jeron O’Brien, Joshua Ramkissoon and Baptiste teamed up to win in 4:00.36, with Bahamas (4:01.91) and Jamaica (4:02.77) trailing.

Yorke came second in the boys 13-14 50m butterfly in 26.48, 0.02 seconds behind Suriname’s Irvin Hoost, with Jesse Washington of Bermuda in third spot with 26.55.

In the girls 15-17 50m butterfly, Julien got silver in 29.02, with Sandrine Fanchonna of Martinique (28.98) getting gold and Zabrina Holder of Barbados (29.19) getting bronze.

In the boys 13-14 100m backstroke, Samlalsingh, with a time of 1:02.53, took silver, with Patrick Groters of Aruba (1:01.99) winning while Noah Mascoll-Gomes of Antigua/Barbuda (1:03.89) took bronze.

Jada Chai earned bronze in the girls 11-12 200m freestyle in 2:18.78, ahead of her TT teammate Harley (2:18.87). Ashley Irby of Bermuda won in 2:16.76 with Elisabeth Timmer of Aruba next in 2:18.54.

Moments later, Chai got another bronze, in the girls 11-12 50m butterfly, in a time of 30.29, trailing Curacao’s Chade Nersicio (a Games record 29.37) and Bermuda’s Emma Harvey (29.55).

And, in the girls 13-14 50m butterfly, Amira Pilgrim placed third in 29.41, trailing Elinah Phillip of the British Virgin Islands (28.71) and Keeley Maduro of Aruba (29.26) – all three went below the previous standard of 29.49 set by TT’s Tyla Martin in 2012.

[Deeks]

I think we came in 5 overall in the points standing. Bahamas won the trophy.

[Socapro]

T&T end 2nd in Carifta Open Water
...but fifth on pool table
By by Mark Pouchet in Aruba (T&T Express)
Story Created: Apr 26, 2014 at 9:21 PM ECT

The Girls 11-12 and the Boys 13-14 4 x 50 metres freestyle relays brought a climactic end to the Trinidad and Tobago campaign at the 29th Carifta Swimming Championships Friday night at the Rosy Bislik Olympic pool in Savaneta, Oranjestad, Aruba.

And yesterday morning, Syriah David, captain of the T&T open water squad, led the nine -member unit to second overall behind Guadeloupe but ahead of Aruba in that discipline.

David was third overall but gained silver in the Girls 15-17 5 kilometre swim while her teammates Christian Marsden and Jivan Chee Foon earned bronze in the Boys 13-14 5km and Boys 15-17 5km races respectively,  with Marsden finishing fourth overall and Chee Foon not far behind in sixth.

In the Boys race which was staged combined but rewarded separately, Marsden produced a one hour 10 minute 53 second swim for the bronze while Chee Foon won his bronze in 1:10.57.

Teammate Kael Yorke was eighth in the Boys 13-14 in 1:14:47.

Among the Girls in the 15-17  5km event, Syriah David was third in 1:15:29 with Hay fourth in 1:17:36 while Shania David was eighth in 1:21:49.

At the pool Friday, T&T finished third in the medals table with 34 medals (16 gold, 11 silver, 7 bronze ) after a night of eight medals (two gold, 4 silver and two bronze). The Bahamas were first with 55 (23 gold , 22 silver 10 bronze ) while hosts Aruba were second with 51 (16 gold, 16 silver, 19 bronze).

In the points standings, T&T were fifth on 446 points, rounding out the top five of the Bahamas (736), Aruba (618), Guadeloupe (540) and Martinique (474).

On Friday night, the Girls 11-12 team of Deshor Edwards, Jahmia Harley, Vrisnelit Faure and Jada Chai maintained their 100 per cent record in relays, winning their third consecutive race, the 4x50m freestyle, in convincing fashion.

Chai came from behind to surge past Bermuda (1:58.74) and post a time of 1:58.24. Curaçao were third in 2:00.39.

The Boys 13-14 4 x 50m free team of Christopher Mohammed, Osaze Riley, Justin Samlalsingh and James Gillette followed their example in winning gold in a fast  1:41.67 over Martinique (1:43.18) and Antigua and Barbuda (1:43.84).

The four silvers came from Jahmia Harley in the Girls 11-12 400m free (4:52.63), Youth Olympic qualifiers Kristin Julien in the Girls 15-17 50m free (27.23) and David Mc Leod in the Boys 15-17 50m free (23.97) and Jeron Thompson in the Boys 13-14 100m breaststroke (1:11.39).

Luke Gillette, who only got into the final of the Boys 11-12 100m breaststroke after two disqualifications during the morning prelims, produced a great swim from lane eight to claim the bronze in a personal best of 1:17.89.

And Youth Olympics qualifier Jabari Baptiste also earned bronze in a personal best of 2:13.28 in the Boys 15-17 200m backstroke.

Other top T&T performers on the night were James Gillette, 4th in the Boys 13-14 200m backstroke  in 2:21.20 , Vrisnelit Faure, fourth in the Girls 11-12 100m breast in 1:23.63 and Jeron O’Brien, fifth in the Boys 15-17 100m breastsroke (1:08.82).

Dario Omiss was sixth in the Boys 13-14 100m breast in 1:13.20, while Chai (2:42.39) and Harley (2:45.31) were fifth and seventh in the Girls 11-12 200m backstroke.

The team is scheduled to return home today at midday.