Blackman splashes new record.
By Walter Alibey (Guardian).
T&T’s Nikoli Blackman splashed to a new 50-metre Freestyle record at the 2020 UANA Swimming Championship in Lima, Peru, on Saturday.
However, the young T&T swimming ace could not replicate his performance in the 100-metre Backstroke held later, although still finishing in a decent sixth position.
But in the half-lap race for boys’ 13-14, Blackman forced the crowd to acknowledge his ability and talent, as he obliterated the field to claim the UANA record that was held first held by Mexican Guillermo Ruben when he touched the wall in a quick time of 24.31 seconds. Ruben had previously set the record with a 24.65 seconds swim.
Blackman, who went into the final with a C-Standard time of 24.65 seconds, bettered it despite the competitive field. He was followed in second and third positions by the Bahamian pair of Marvin Johnson and Nigel Forbes in 24.74 seconds and 24.79 seconds respectively.
But in the 100-metre backstroke, Blackman could not stop Mexican Rodr Fernandez Vivar from securing the gold medal in a time of one minute, 01.50 seconds, while Vivar’s countryman Erick Chavez was second on 1:02.56 and Argentina’s Maximo Jacquet took the bronze medal in 1:03.21 seconds. Blackman’s time in the 100m event was a competitive 1:04.96 seconds.
Meanwhile, though no other T&T swimmer medalled on the day, there were several excellent performances and close misses, with Jahmia Marley finishing fifth in the Girls’ 15-17 100 metres backstroke. Her event was won by Danielle Titus of Barbados in a lightning-quick time of 1:03.93 seconds.
Akash Singh, another T&T swimmer, was also sixth in the Boys’ 13-14 50 metre Breaststroke event, after producing a time of 32.36 seconds.
