ELECTRIFYING ELINAH!! PHILLIP’S BVI 50 METRE FREESTYLE NATIONAL RECORD OF 25.82 PLACES HER AMONG ALL TIME BEST CARIFTA REGION PERFORMERS

Elinah Phillip of the British Virgin Islands at her last competitive outing at the 2021 Michael Lohberg Invitational showed that she is in exquisite sprint form. This was verified by her national record showing in the 50 metre freestyle which saw her winning Gold.

ELinah at the 2018 Youth Olympics. Photo courtesy of Island Sun

Heading to the competition which was held from June 11-13 in Coral Springs Florida she boasted a personal record of 26.08.She had set that mark in 2020 winning the event at the Hawkeye Time trial in Iowa City. In the Sunshine State she broke the 26 barrier in the heats to clock a time of 25.98. The magical mark of 26 seconds has been beaten by very few CARIFTA region Ladies . Phillip changed gears in the final to hit another level of speed when she won in 25.82. How fast is that time in the context of the CARIFTA region? She becomes the 11th woman to break that barrier and is the 9th fastest performer of all time.

Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace Photo courtesy of zimbio

CARIFTA REGION ALL TIME BEST PERFORMERS IN THE 50 METRE FREESTYLE UNDER 26 SECONDS

Name	Country	Time	Date	Ranking
Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace	The Bahamas	24.31	2014	1
Malia Metella	French Guiana/ France	24.58	2009	2
Cherelle Thompson	Trinidad and Tobago	25.32	2020	3
Alia Atkinson	Jamaica	25.47	2018	4
Leah Martindale	Barbados	25.49	1996	5
Allyson Ponson	Aruba	25.61	2019	6
Ariel Weech	The Bahamas	25.72	2014	7
Natasha Moodie	Jamaica	25.76	2009	8
Elinah Phillip	British Virgin Islands	25.82	2021	9
Siobhan Cropper	Trinidad and Tobago	25.89	1997	10
Sharntelle McLean	Trinidad and Tobago	25.92	2009	11
Madelyn Moore	Bermuda	25.93	2021	12

Elinah in action

There would be more national record success at the meet . She lowered her 2013 200 metre freestyle record from 2:20.54 to 2:15.27 (split time 1:04.50). That placed her 12th overall in the 15 and over age group. The 100 metre freestyle saw her finishing fourth in a time of 59.13 (split time 28.07). In less than a month she has lowered the 50, 100 and 200 metre freestyle records. She had set the 100 metre record at 58.63 at the SOFLO Last Chance Olympic qualifier in late May.

Draftingthecaribbean spoke to Elinah and got her analysis of her 50 metre freestyle performance

” I am overjoyed with my  performance in the 50m freestyle! Breaking 26 seconds has been a goal of mine for a long time and something I’ve come close to several times over the years so to finally do it and feel great doing it is something special to me. It requires a high level of fitness and I’m so happy to be in a place where I can consistently build that, this was actually the goal for the end of the summer and doing it this early means I can only go faster”.

Elinah Phillip .Photo courtesy of FIU swimming and diving

Elinah, who now represents Florida International University and won the Silver at their Conference meet in the 50 yard freestyle also spoke about the 200 metre freestyle record and what [phase of training she is now in

“The 200m freestyle isn’t one of my main event but it’s a good one for me to explore and potentially get back into since I have a strong freestyle foundation. I enjoyed it and the national record is a bonus but I know I have a lot of room for growth when it comes to this event :).  Overall, I am thrilled with how this weekend went as we are in a training block so I wasn’t rested or tapered for this competition so swimming best times at this point feels amazing. onwards and upwards from here”.

Phillip also spoke about her current training regimen and and international meets she will be targeting from now until December 2022

“Currently during the summer I swim Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday mornings (5:45-7:45am). Monday, Thursday and Friday afternoons. Then I lift on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons.In terms of competition, I have the Olympic Games on the horizon. After that, In the fall I will have the Pan Am Jr Game, the FINA SC Worlds, Commonwealth Games in the summer then the FINA LC Worlds and the CAC Games”.

The 21 year old Olympian who competed at the Rio 2016 Olympics in the 50 metre freestyle is trailblazer for aquatics as she became the first swimmer to compete at the highest level for her nation. She will be aiming to an even higher position especially with this increased sprint speed.

MORGAN COGLE LEADS JAMAICAN AGE GROUP SWIMMERS AT MICHAEL LOHBERG INVITATIONAL WITH THREE PERSONAL BESTS

Morgan Cogle

Jamaican age group standout Morgan Cogle led the performances of the nation’s youngsters with the quality of her performances at the recently held 2021 Michael Lohberg Invitational in Coral Springs Florida from June 11-13. She had three personal bests in the 200 and 400 metre freestyle and the 100 metre butterfly.

Competing in girls 15 and over 200 metre freestyle she moved from 2:12.31 to a new personal standard of 2:11.92. She placed seventh overall. Morgan had set that time in 2019. In the 400 metre freestyle there was an almost four second drop as she moved from 4:46.67 to 4:42.93 for another seventh place finish. Cogle had set that personal standard when she made the Championship final in the 13-14 age group at CCCAN 2019 in Barbados. There would be another time drop in the 100 metre butterfly as she lowered her 2019 mark of 1:11.75 to 1:09.93.

The Jupiter Dragons swimmer also put in strong performances in the 50 and 100 metre freestyle with swims of 28.23 and 1:01.39.Those performances are not far off her personal bests of 28.21 and 1:00.39 respectively. Morgan was eighth in the 100 metre backstroke in 1:12.00.

Her countrywoman who was her teammate on the aforementioned CCCAN team Ashley Hodge recorded all season bests in all but one her events in the 15 and over age group. The Mississauga Swimming athlete registered times of 28.28 and 1:03.25 in the 50 and 100 metre freestyle .In the 100 metre butterfly she dropped her season best from 1:11.74 to 1:08.93.In the 100 metre backstroke she touched the pads in 1:13.01.

Cogle’s younger sister Alexandria had a standout competition with all but one personal best in all of her events. She was also on the medal podium in all of her swims.

Event	Time	Place
50 metre freestyle	29.89	2nd
200 metre freestyle	2:23.45	2nd
400 metre freestyle	5:08.67	2nd
200 metre Individual medley	2:45.88	2nd

The young ladies continue to show the depth of talent available to the country. Yet again the the plan for their development has to be detailed to reach their full potential .

ROAD TO BAHAMAS NATIONALS- JAMAICAN KELSIE CAMPBELL CONTINUES COMEBACK WITH THREE PB’S

Jamaica’s Kelsie Campbell completed a successful 2020-2021 college season with the Florida International Panthers and had wanted to translate that form into the Olympic sized pool.

Victorious FIU Panthers Photo courtesy of Conference USA

She began her journey to gaining more international caps for her country with her first meet ,the UANA Olympic qualifier in Clermont Florida in May. There she made the Championship finals in all her events the 50 and 100 metre freestyle and 100 metre butterfly. At her last outing before the Bahamas Nationals , the 2021 Michael Lohberg Invitational in Coral Springs she sent a message with three personal bests.

In the 100 metre freestyle she qualified easily for the final with a time of 58.72. In that final she went out aggressively in a time of 27.64 to take the early lead. The move paid dividends as she hung on to win the Silver in a time of 57.80. That bettered the time she done in 2016 to win Gold in the 15-17 age at the now defunct Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships in The Bahamas. Gold in the event went to Spaniard Carmen San Nicolas Martinez representing Cane Aquatics in personal best of 57.26. Campbell’s FIU teammate Eriana Temperino was third also in a personal best of 58.24.

18 and over women CCCAN 100 metre butterfly medallists from left to right Patricia Casellas Puerto Rico Silver medallist, Kelsie Campbell Jamaica Gold medallist and Bronze Photo courtesy of Azura Florida Aquatics

In the 100 metre butterfly she got to the final after posting a time of 1:03.23 (split time29.80). In the final she again went out hard. She was second at the half way mark with a split of 29.51. That early momentum pushed her past the 1:03.00 mark for the first time and she placed second in a new personal best of 1:02.65. That bettered her old personal record of 1:03.23. She did that time when she Gold at the 2017 CCCAN Championships in Trinidad and Tobago where she won Gold in the 18 and over category. The race saw the Panthers dominating the podium as her teammates Julia Miranda and Temperino won Gold and Bronze in 1:01.48 and 1:03.29 respectively.

In her final event of the meet swum from June 11 to 13. She found a new level of speed in the 50 metre freestyle when she rocketed to 26.60. That bettered her 2017 CCCAN Bronze medal winning time 26.91. In the final she came close to equaling that performance when touched second in 26.71. Gold went to her teammate Elinah Phillip who swam a scorching 25.82 to win the race. Bronze went to Tawan McLemore of TS Aquatics in 27.16.

Kelsie Campbell

Kelsie gave context to the times during her training cycle

“We are in the middle of a very heavy training bloc so were not tapered or rested we were going harder in the weight room so I am really happy with those times and moving those events forward. It gets me closer to making my goals for the rest of the season. I have ambitions to qualify for World Short Course at the end of the year. I will be going to the Bahamas nationals there. I won’t be rested but I am excited. A few weeks after that I will be rested and hopefully I can qualify for the World Short Course, Commonwealth Games and World Championships”.

Team Jamaica at the 2016 World Short Course Champs From left to right Dominic Walter,Kelsie Campbell,Keanan Dols,Alia Atkinson and Justin Plaschka

Based upon her times done recently she would move up to the second seed in the 100 metre butterfly in the 15 and over category at the Bahamas Nationals. Kelsie would also move up to fourth in the 50 metre freestyle. She is ranked third in the 50 metre butterfly. For the 100 metre freestyle Campbell has the fourth fastest time .The Bahamas National get under way on June 24 at the Betty Kelly-Kenning Aquatic Centre .

MARTINIQUE’S MIKA HEIDEYER SETS NEW PERSONAL BEST IN THE 100 METRE BUTTERFLY AT 2021 FRENCH ELITE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Martinique’s Mike Heideyer continues to lower her personal best in the 100 metre butterfly this season. The latest occasion was the French Elite Championships in Chartes.

Mika Heideyer

She had set a new personal standard at the Monaco leg of the Mare Nostrum tour when she touched in 1:00.91 (split time 28.60). The CN Antibes swimmer was ahead of her record pace when she went out in 28.31 during the morning heats . She touched in 1:01.40 to make the A Final . She was however not within the consideration time required for the preliminaries of 59.66. Undeterred she still went to the Championship final seeking to go faster. She would do just that in the evening.

She was a bit slower going out in 28.37 but came home in 32.06 to record a new personal best of 1:00.43. She also improved her standing to sixth overall. This is her best performance these Championships. After winning the 15-17 CARIFTA title in 1:03.34 she placed first in the C final in 1:03.10. In 2018 saw her finishing second in the B final in 1:01.19. the following year saw her winning the B final in 1:01.83. The was won by Swede’s Louise Hansson in 57.05. Silver and Bronze went to the French duo of Marie Wattel and Beryl Gastaldello in 57.37 and 58.33 respectively.

Mika . Photo courtesy of lalsace.fr

She will be looking to add her name to that small iconic group of female swimmers who have broken the magical minute barrier in the event. That exclusive group’s members also have the accolade of being Olympic finalists in individual events. Malia Metella who made two in 2004 , in the 50 and 100 metre freestyle. The 50 metre freestyle saw her winning the Silver . Alia made the 100 metre breaststroke final in both 2012 and 2016. Atkinson had her best finish in 2012 where she placed fourth. Vanderpool-Wallace had the final in the 50 metre freestyle where she placed eighth.

Malia Metella

CARIFTA REGION ALL TIME BEST FEMALE PERFORMERS IN THE 100 METRE BUTTERFLY

Name	Country	Time	Split	Date
Malia Metella	French Guiana/ France	58.78	27.93	2004
Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace	The Bahamas	58.87	26.64	2015
Alia Atkinson	Jamaica	59.94	28.44	2017

JORIS BOUCHAUT SETS NEW CARIFTA REGIONAL MARK IN THE 400 FREESTYLE OF 3:47.37, JUST MISSES THE QUALIFYING STANDARD FOR THE FRENCH OLYMPIC TEAM

Joris Bouchaut continued to move the quality of performances from the CARIFTA region to a higher level today with yet another personal best in the 400 metre freestyle. Competing at the 2021 French Elite Championships in Chartes he just missed qualifying for the Olympic team with a Silver medal performance.

Joris Bouchaut

For qualification for the team swimmers would have to attain minimum standards for both the heats and the Championship final. In the morning Joris would be have to be faster than the standard of 3:53.58 which is also the FINA B standard . Then be faster than the time of 3:46.78 which plays double duty of being the FINA A standard .

He cleared the morning heats easily with the top seed of 3:50.84. In the final he went out hard and was heading to a personal best time and stamping his ticket to the Asian continent . He was in the lead after the first 100 metres and seemed to be in control of the event . All the time he was shadowed by Tunisia’s Ayoub Hafnaqui. The African made his move at the 350 metre and then closed with a split of 27.40. Joris pushed for the victory but could not repel the attack and placed second in a time of 3:47.37, a new person best and fastest time ever by a swimmer from the CARIFTA region.The Tolouse OEC Dolphins swimmer who hails from Guadeloupe was an agonizingly 0.59 away from booking his first Olympic berth. His splits in Chartes indicate his speed endurance has improved but just needs that turn of speed on the last 50 metres of the race.

COMPARISON OF PERSONAL BESTS

400 metre freestyle	2021	2021
First 100	55.41	54.88
Second 100	57.17	57.16
Third 100	57.63	58.47
Fourth 100	57.16	57.63
Total Time	3:47.37	3:48.14

Roméo Boileau .Photo courtesy of lalsace.fr

Bouchaut who left as CARIFTA Champion in 2012 in this was joined by another CARIFTA Champion, Roméo Boileau. Roméo’s last regional competition was in 2017 where he represented Guadeloupe. He left as the 13-14 victor in a time of 4:13.99.He entered this competition with a best time of 4:06.24. He crushed that preliminaries time of 4:00.46 (split time 1:59.22). That earned him a second swim in C final. That would mark him getting under the magic 4 minute mark for the first time. The CN Antibes swam to fourth place in new personal best of 3:59.11.

AT LAST!! WESTERN JAMAICA’S LEANNA WAINWRIGHT TAKES DOWN THE NATIONAL 13-14 100 METRE BACKSTROKE RECORD AND GETS THE PAN AM JRS B CUT

Leanna Wainwright New 13-14 100 metre backstroke record holder

Sunday June 13, 2021 will be a forever be a very special day in the life of Western Jamaica’s Leanne Wainwright as she lowered her the 13-14 national record in the 100 metre backstroke as well as getting under the PAN AM Jrs B standard with a time trial swim of 1:07.69.This is her first individual national record.

The lowering of the 13-14 backstroke record in this truncated season was just a matter not of if but when .At her last competition in 2020 at the Walter Age Group Championships she recorded times of 1:10.06 in the heats of the 100 metre backstroke , just off the the meet record of 1:10.08 by age group star Kendese Nangle. In the final she registered an easy win in a time of 1:13.72.

Since the return of competitive action on May 8 the 2008 national record held by Kendese Nangle at 1:08.19 has been under constant threat.

Date	Time	Place
May 8-9	1:08.69	First
May 22-23	1:08.29	First
May 29-30	1:08.41	First

Leanna and Mom Janecia

In her very last race of the competition she lived up to the swimming adage “Last one fast one” . Swimming in a time trial by herself she had the mental fortitude to push herself beyond what she had ever done before and become the the first Jamaican woman to break 1:08.00 in the 100 metre backstroke and set the first national record at the Aquatic Centre for 2021. She has also cleared the PAN AM Jrs B standard of 1:08.11.

Draftingthecaribbean got her reaction after her record breaking feat

“I am very very happy that I broke the record . My ultimate goal was to make the PAN AM time. I was just happy that the PAN AM time I was going for along with the record came in the same race. Going in to CCCAN I feel a bit more relaxed that I already made the time in local competition and I am just aiming to lower it as much as possible and hopefully medal with a better time”.

Commendations for her first record breaking swim have come from swimming icons in Jamaica and the Caribbean region. Andrew Phillips , the first Jamaican and Caribbean man to make an Olympic final in the 200 metre individual medley at the 1984 Olympics said

“Congratulations Leanna on breaking the national AGR record and setting the new national AGR!! I am almost positive you have the 50 and 200 on your radar which you will achieve! Best of swims at CCCAN .Do You Believe! Have fun and make waves”.

Janelle Atkinson, the first Jamaican and Caribbean woman to make an Olympic final in the 400 metre freestyle where she placed fourth said

” Amazing swim by Leanna and huge congrats to her on her first of many age group national records!!The future of Jamaica swimming is promising and especially bright. Looking forward to following the performances of Team Jamaica at CCCAN next week”.

Team Manager for the CCCAN delegation heading to Puerto Rico next week spoke highly of Leanna’s achievement

She has been so committed in setting this record that every opportunity to swim the 100 metre backstroke she has done so. What was incredible for me is that she did this in a time trial. She swam it by her self broke the national record and made her goal. Extremely proud of her as the Team manager for CCCAN I am delighted that she is on the team and really looking forward to what she is going to do in Puerto Rico .Her going there as a new national record holder is very exciting”.

Leanna and Coach Adolfo

With more opportunities for competition Leanna can move Jamaica up the list of all time top performers in the Caribbean in the age group

Name	Country	Time	Date
Danielle Titus	Barbados	1:05.61	2017
Jillian Crooks	Cayman Islands	1:05.74	2020
Sangeeta Puri	Trinidad and Tobago	1:05.87	1993
Virginia Stamp	The Bahamas	1:07.10	2016

The CCCAN record is 1:05.11 set by Puerto Rico’s Celismar Guzman in 2015 in Barbados. The PAN AM A cut is 1:04.31. The quality of competition in Puerto Rico should push her closer to those marks. The last time Jamaica won a medal in this event at CCCAN was by Nangle in 2007 when she Gold in a time of 1:09.73.

ICYMI NATIONAL RECORD SWIMS BY MARVIN JOHNSON AT UANA OLYMPIC QUALIFER PUTS HIM AMONG ALL TIME 13-14 CCCAN ELITE

In 2019 Marvin Johnson Jr of The Bahamas had what can only be termed as a Dream CARIFTA Championships. He won a staggering Fourteen Gold Medals in Barbados. That is the best Gold medal haul since the other 50 strokes were added to the CARIFTA schedule in the early 2000’s . His medal haul in terms of sheer weight can only be compared to Olympian , CARIFTA region legend and fellow Bahamian Jeremy Knowles who turned back all of his competitors at CARIFTA 1999 in Jamaican to win 16 of a possible 16 events individual and relay events.

Johnson with 2019 CARIFTA treasure trove of Gold medals

MARVIN’S MARVELOUS MEDAL HAUL

Event	Time	Place
50 metre backstroke	30.75	Gold
100 metre butterfly	1:03.65	Gold
4 x 100 metre freestyle relay	4:08.13	Gold
200 metre freestyle	2:07.92	Gold
50 metre butterfly	28.26	Gold
100 metre backstroke	1:08.44	Gold
4 x 100 medley relay	4:46.54	Gold
200 metre IM	2:26.92	Gold
100 metre freestyle	56.61	Gold
mixed 4 x 100 metre freestyle	4:09.38	Gold
400 metre freestyle	4:36.01	Gold
50 metre freestyle	26.30	Gold
200 metre backstroke	2:28.26	Gold
4 x 50 metre freestyle relay	1:51.36	Gold

The following year should have seen him moving up to the 13-14 age group and testing his skills in a new age group. Then came the pandemic and the UANA Age group Championships in Peru was his only serious meet in 2020. Without competition for an extended period and just training in hopeful expectation for that challenge. Then came the opportunity with the UANA Olympic qualifier from April 29 to May 2. The question was how would Marvin react to swimming in an open competition with much older and accomplished swimmers. Two age group national records later and putting his name among the very best not only in the CARIFTA but CCCAN region. Question asked Question answered!

In Peru Johnson had placed fourth in the 200 metre freestyle in the 13-14 age group in a new Bahamas record of 2:01.13. That lowered the mark of 2:02.72 held by Samuel Gibson. In Clermont Florida he took the Bahamian age group standard to another level. In the preliminaries he earned a second swim with a massive personal best of 1:57.93.

200 metre freestyle	April 20,2021	Febrary 2020
First 50	27.25	27.64
Second 50	30.12	29.95
Third 50	31.12	32.09
Fourth 50	29.44	31.15
Total Time	1:57.93	2:01.13

IMPACT OF RECORD SWIM

The swim by Marvin would better the 13-14 record swum at the UANA Championships by Brazilian Gustavo Saldo.Saldo , who competed at the 2019 World Junior Swimming Championships is committed to for the University of Louisville starting in September 2021. Marvin has entered the chat with names such as Dylan Carter of Trinidad and Tobago who holds the 2011 CCCAN record at 1:55.55 and is the fastest 13-14 of all time in the region. Other swimmers include Olympian Damian Alleyne of Barbados and Jose Santana of Puerto Rico who holds the record at the now defunct Caribbean Islands Swimming championships. With a number of high level meets left for the year including the Bahamian Nationals at the end of the month Johnson can move significantly up the list of the elite in the age group if not take the overall crown.

TOP CCCAN 13-14 SWIMMERS OF ALL TIME BY NATION IN THE 200 METRE FREESTYLE

Name	Country	Time	Meet	Date
Dylan Carter	Trinidad and Tobago	1:55.55	CCCAN	June 2011
Amuri Rodriquez	Mexico	1:56.43		2005
Jose Santana	Puerto Rico	1:56.49	CISC	August 1988
Damian Alleyne	Barbados	1:57.09	CISC	July 1998
Daniel Jacobs	Aruba	1:57.15	Stingray Challenge	Novemeber 2015
Shaune Fraser	Cayman Islands	1:58.42		Jan 2003
Brad Hamilton	Jamaica	1:59.84	CARIFTA	April 2004

In the C final he posted the second fastest time of his career when he touched ninth in 1:59.81.

The Bahamas record in the 13-14 100 metre freestyle was held by another swimmer on a great trajectory ,Lamar Taylor at 53.09.Lamar had set that time with a commanding win at the 2018 CCCCAN Championships in Aruba. In Peru at the UANA age group competition Marvin had won the Silver in a time of 54.36. Gold was won Trinidad and Tobago’s Nikolai Blackman in a Championship record of 53.84. In the heats of the event in Florida he was exactly a second faster to make the D final. That final proved to be historic as he broke the record to place second in a time of 53.09.

COMPARISON OF RECORD SWIMS

100 metre freestyle	Johnson 2021	Taylor 2018
First 50	25.86	25.62
Second 50	27.14	27.47
Total time	53.00	53.09

Marvin’s better closing speed helped him to gain the national record.

IMPACT OF RECORD SWIM

The swim puts him amongst the best from the CCCAN region . With more top end speed he can chase the CARIFTA all time mark held by Joshua Romany.That also doubles as the fastest ever by a swimmer for the CCCAN region

TOP 13-14 100 METRE FREESTYLE PERFORMANCES BY NATION

Name	Country	Time	Record/ NR	Date
Crox Acuna	Venezuela	52.20	CCCAN record	2005
Joshua Romany	Trinidad and Tobago	53.64	CARIFTA record	2010
Joshua Romany	Trinidad and Tobago	52.33	NR	2010
Lamar Taylor	The Bahamas	53.09	Former NR	2018
Amauri Rodriquez	Mexico	53.17	NR	2005
Jordy Groters	Aruba	53.15	NR	2011
Damian St Prix	Barbados	53.29	NR	2015
Jordan Portela	Puerto Rico	53.46	NR	2014
Brad Hamilton	Jamaica	53.69	NR	2004

Marvin at the 2018 CCCAN Champs in Aruba. Photo courtesy of CCCAN

Draftingthecaribbean spoke to Marvin about his UANA competition and he gave this feedback

“Breaking the records is a big step because training over the year has been worth it and it was not a waste. Breaking those two records was a confidence booster and it is pushing me to do more. Being the first international meet since UANA 2020 it was big since missing the travelling and different competition was big eye opener for me I know I have to work on a number of things so that I can continue to improve my times to be more effective and more dangerous at these international meets”.

Marvin will be in action at the Bahamian Nationals from June 24 to 27 where we can see just what he has worked on to get even faster.

ICYMI JORIS BAUCHAUT CONTINUES TO RAISE THE BAR FOR THE CARIFTA REGION IN THE 800 METRE FREESTYLE AT 2021 EUROPEAN CHAMPS

At the CARIFTA Championships in 2012 Joris Bouchaut representing Guadeloupe had captured the 15-17 1500 and 400 metre freestyle titles in Championship records of 15:45.04 and 3:59.74. Those times have not been bettered since. He took the records of Olympians and regional legends Shaune Fraser of the Cayman Islands 16:10.74 (2004) and Damian Alleyne of Barbados 4:03.22 (2000). Since that time Bouchaut has been the regional standard bearer in the 400, 800 and 1500 metre freestyle.

Recently at the 2021 European Championships representing France he bettered his personal standard and the best evertime from the region. His best time had stood at 7:54.19 from 2019. Competing in the Danube Arena in Budapest Hungary on May 21 he won heat 3 chopping more than a second off his time to touch in 7:53.07. That time placed him eighth overall. It earned him his second trip to the Championship final in the event . He had made the medal race in 2016 where he had placed eight overall in 7:58.54. He had raced to 7:54.85 in the preliminaries.

Joris before the Championship final. Photo courtesy of franckfaguere

In the final he gave it his all and stayed with the medallist for more than 500 metres. At the end he bettered his 2016 position to place seventh with a new personal record of 7:52.85. He is now tied with Sebastian Rouault , the 2010 Champion with most Championship final appearances for France. His PB is also the second fastest time done by a Frenchman at these Championships. All of his swims were under the Tokyo A cut of 7:54.31.

Joris looks at the scoreboard after recording yet another personal best.Photo courtesy of franckfaguere

COMPARISON OF PERSONAL BESTS

800 metre freestyle	Finals	Heats	2019
First 100	56.29	56.27	57.99
Second 100	58.39	58.56	1:00.15
Third 100	58.90	58.90	59.50
Fourth 100	58.93	59.58	59.67
Fifth 100	59.95	1:00.30	59.16
Sixth 100	1:00.44	1:00.49	59.53
Seventh 100	1:00.22	1:00.67	59.75
Eighth 100	58.91	58.40	58.44
Total Time	7:52.85	7:53.07	7:54.19

Gold was won by the Ukraine’s Mykhaylo Romanchuk in 7:42.61, Silver went to World Champion Gregorio Paltrinieri of Italy won the Silver in 7:43.62 and Bronze to his teammate Gabrielle Detti in 7:46.10.

Back in training

The 26 year old Tolouse OEC Dolphins swimmer is currently third overall in the French rankings heading to The French Elite Championships in Chartres from June 15 to 20. In the 400 metre freestyle he is the number one swimmer with a personal best and CARIFTA regional time standard of 3:48.14.The longest pool race sees him fourth in the standings with a time of 15:13.80.

For Bouchaut to book his ticket to the Asian continent he will have to hit certain time standards during the heats and the A finals in addition to being in the top two.

Events	Heats	A Final
400 metre freestyle	3:53.58	3:46.78
800 metre freestyle	8:04.90	7:50.28
1500 metre freestyle	15:25.12	14:57.28

Joris will be looking not only to make the French team but join icons of the CARIFTA region such as siblings Malia and Mehdy Metella as well as Coralie Balmy to be on the medal podium.

JORGE HERNANDEZ LOWERS 16-18 200 BUTTERFLY RECORD OF LEGENDARY VENEZUELAN OLYMPIC MEDALLIST RAFAEL VIDAL TO COMPLETE BUTTERFLY RECORD TRIFECTA

Young Venezuelan swimmer Jorge Eliezer Otazia Hernandez has continued his excellent run of form with a number of eye catching national butterfly record swims at the Turkish Youth and Senior selection Championship. The latest of which was the lowering of the 16-18 national record .

The Fenerbahçe Sport Club conditioned athlete bettered the mark of 2:01.24 set by legendary Olympic medallist Rafael Vidal .He did that on May 30 in Turkey with a Silver medal winning effort of 2:00.71.

Rafael Vidal in 1982.Photo courtesy of Eldiario

Vidal had set that mark at the 1982 World Championships in  Guayaquil , Ecuador. He had swum 2:02.02 to be a mere three hundredths outside of make the Championship Final. In the B final he touched in 2:01.24 to beat Australian Paul Rowe 2:01.83. for the win. Two years later he would make history to become Venezuela’s first Olympic medallist at the 1984 Olympics. He won Bronze in a time of 1:57.41, a new national and Americas record. Silver was won by Germany Michael Gross in 1:57.40 and the Gold to Australian Jon Sieben in a World Record in 1:57.04.

1984 Los Angeles Olympics 200 metre butterfly medallists from left to right Jon Sieben Australia Gold medallist, Michael Gross Germany silver medallist and Bronze medallist Vidal. Photo courtesy of Swimming Australia

Hernandez is on a fantastic path of excellence . That swim only capped great week he was having. On the 29th of May he broke the 50 metre butterfly record to win Gold. He touched in a time of 24.42. That performance broke the 2003 record of 24.59 set by Olympian Octavio Alesi.

Octavio Alesi . Photo courtesy of Mi Ruta Sport

The 27th of May saw him taking the 100 metre butterfly record below 53 seconds. He broke his own national standard of 53.14 to register a Gold medal winning time of 52.82.

His trajectory looks great when it is compared for the various competitions scheduled to be held from now until the end of 2022

Jorge Hernandez	NR swims	PAN AM Juniors A time	World Champs B
50 metre butterfly	24.42	N/A	24.46
100 metre butterfly	52.82	54.54	53.78
200 metre butterfly	2:00.71	2:02.35	2:00.79

Jorge Hernandez	NR swims	World Champs A	Olympics B	Olympics A
50 metre butterfly	24.42	23.63	N/A	N/A
100 metre butterfly	52.82	51.96	53.52	51.96
200 metre butterfly	2:00.71	1:56.71	1:59.97	1:56.48

Jorge Hernandez

Keep your eye on Hernandez for faster times and inclusion on national medley relay teams in the future at the senior level.

METELLA, CARTER AND PEDRO- LEAL FEATURE IN 100 METRE BUTTERFLY FINAL AT CANET STOP OF MARE NOSTRUM TOUR

The CARIFTA region again saw representation on the Mare Nostrum Tour. This time at the Canet-en-Roussillon leg on June 1 in France the 100 metre butterfly final saw Mehdy Metella (French Guiana/France), Dylan Carter Trinidad and Tobago and Dorian Pedro-Leal (French Guiana/France) in action.

from left to right Metella, Carter and Nicolas Vermorel. Photo courtesy of Mare Nostrum

In the heats Mehdy and Carter topped the list of qualifiers with times of 52.88 (split time 24.97) and 53.03 (split time 24.57). Carter had the the fastest opening 50 metres of the preliminaries and the swim was significantly faster than his time of 54.87 from the Monaco leg. Both men who are Olympians were under the Tokyo B standard of 53.52. They are also the the two fastest men in CARIFTA region history . Metella holds the French National record at 50.85. Carter holds his national record at 52,64 .

Dorian Pedro-Leal

Pedro-Leal who represents Canet 66 swimming touched in seventh overall in 54.79.

In the final the victory went to South African Chad Le Clos, the defending Olympic Silver medallist in a time of 52.29. Metella who was sixth in that Olympic final was second in 52.64 (split time 24.60). Bronze was won by Croatian Nikola Miljenic in 53.22

Carter was fourth in 53.42(split time 24.86). Pedro Leal moved up to sixth touching in 54.38 (split time 24.88).

FINAL CARIFTA MEMORIES

Cadell Lyons. Photo courtesy of Harold Wilson

In Mehdy who represents CN Marseille in his final CARIFTA in Aruba in 2008 who the Silver in the event. It was his first year in the 15-17 age group and he touched in 57.81 . The Gold went Trinidad and Tobago’s Cadell Lyons in 57.41.

Dylan Carter at the 2013 CARIFTA swimming championships Photo courtesy of Michael C Lyn

Carter, who represents Team Elite Aquatics was in his second year of the the 15-17 age group at the 2013 CARIFTA Championships. He won the event at the National Aquatic Centre in Kingston Jamaica in a then Championship record of 55.00.

Zuhayr Pigot Photo courtesy of Times of Suriname

Pedro- Leal completed his CARIFTA eligibility the following year in Aruba. He took the Bronze in 56.60 in the event. Silver went to Jamaican Sidrell Williams in 56.36. Gold went to Surinamese Zuhayr Pigot in a new CHampionship record of 54.85 which still stands today.