A number of Barbados’ top swimmers will not be competing at the annual Long Course Championships that began on Monday.
Top-ranked Barbadian male swimmers Alex Sobers, Jack Kirby and Luis-Sebastian Weekes. are all studying overseas and will not participate. Kirby was the Barbados Olympic Association’s Top Junior Male award in 2018, having set 14 national and age-group records last year.
He was also a multiple medal winner at the 2018 Carifta Swimming Championships and a finalist at the CAC Games.
However, notwithstanding the absences, there is much anticipation for some very competitive swimming with names such as Nicky Neckles and Martyn Forde included in the racing line-up.
The championship is the final qualifying event for local swimmers attempting to secure a place on the country’s team to the 2019 Carifta Swimming Championships.
The Long Course championships that conclude on March 10, is also a qualifier for the 18th FINA World Swimming Championships in Gwangju, Korea and the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.
Swimmers will contest 134 events in several age groups ranging from eight and under to 18 and over. Over the longer distances, swimmers will compete in combined events regardless of age and will be placed in heats based on their seed times. However, points will be awarded in accordance with age and gender.
The newly re-named Barbados Aquatic Sports Association, formerly known as the Barbados Amateur Swimming Association, is set to host the XXXIV Carifta Championships next month at the Barbados Aquatic Centre in Wildey St. Michael between April 12 and 24.
Over 500 athletes from 23 countries are expected to compete at the multi-sport Championships.
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
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Meanwhile, their men’s team of Stephen Enile and Joel Theodore came up short, ending with the silver medal in the competition.
Selvon and Charles got the better of Stacey Atherley and Neesah Yearwood of Barbados 21-14, 23-21 to advance to the semi-finals where they benefitted from a forfeit to secure the gold medal after Nariesa Dyer and Thea Bradshaw withdrew due to injury.
Selvon said she and her teammate capitalised on the things they did well together, despite not having much experience playing with each other.
“We only played in one local tournament before but since then we have a special bond,” she said. “We competed against our senior volleyball teams who had more experience than us but we learnt how to capitalize on our strengths on defence.”
The Bajan pair of Omar Sealy and Elwin Oxley came out victorious from a stern battle against Enile and Theodore 25-23, 21-19.
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