RENEWED FOCUS BRINGS FAST TIMES. CARTER WINS 50 FREE IN 20.91

At the start of the short course season only two CARIFTA region swimmers had swum under 21 seconds for the 50 metre freestyle. George Bovell III of Trinidad with a personal best and regional best of 20.82 and Tobago and World Junior record holder Kenzo Simons of Suriname now The Netherlands with his mark of 20.98. In less than ten days there has been a major movement in the charts. On the first stop of the FINA World Cup tour in Berlin Dylan Carter crowned himself the new King of Speed in the 50 freestyle with the new Trinidad and Tobago and CARIFTA and CCCAN mark of 20.77.

George Bovell Photo courtesy of legacy.guardian.co.tt

Competing on the first day of the Toronto leg of the tour on Friday he won the race yet again. He took the top podium spot again in a time of 20.91.Cue Machel Montano’s “Happiest man Alive He was the only sub 21 seconds swimmer. He turned back the challenge of American NCAA Champion from Louisiana State University Brooks Curry 21.07 and Australian champion Kyle Chalmers 21.10.

Dylan Carter happy with with second consecutive 50 free swim Photo courtesy of FINA

This is only the third time in a decade a swimmer from the CARIFTA and CCCAN regions have won consecutive 50 free World Cup races. “. Those were done by Bovell in 2012 October in Sweden and Russia with swims of 20.82 and 20.90. Also later that year in November in China and Japan with times of 20.98 and 20.94.

Carter is also in the running to have the most sub 21 seconds performances. Bovell leads with five . Carter is now at three.

He spoke to the socialkick podcast team which includes our own Luke Paddington from Trinidad and Tobago after the win. Carter spoke to doing more strength work , less volume and more rest. He also emphasized finding the right tempo for the sprints

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BACK TO HIS BEST IN BERLIN!!!CARTER WINS GOLD IN 50 FREE 20.77, 50 BACK 23.15 AND 50 FLY 22.13

The recent FINA World Cup stop in Berlin was one of many first for the CARIFTA region through the efforts of start swimmer Dylan Carter

CARIBBEAN TREASURE CHEST

Alia Berlin 2017. Photo courtesy of FINA

The last time the World Cup was held in Berlin in 2017 it was the legendary Jamaican Alia Atkinson who led the CARIFTA and CCCAN region charge . She won three medals. Atkinson took the 100 and 200 scm breaststroke Gold medals in times of 1:03.16 and 2:18.96. Those times have stood up well as the 100 would have placed her second and she would have won the 200 event this year. She took Bronze on 58.12 then in the 100 scm individual medley. It would have won the Bronze in 2022 as well.

BERLIN, GERMANY – 21OCT22: Fina Swimming & Diving World Cup 2022, Swimming Final, CARTER Dylan, TTO (Photo by JoKleindl)

Dylan bettered that performance taking Gold in the 50 scm freestyle, 50 scm backstroke and 50 scm butterfly.

Alia Atkinson

The last time the CARIFTA region won three Gold medals at a World Cup stop was again done by Alia Atkinson.In 2014 competing in Singapore she swept the breaststroke races posting winning times in the 50 29.00, 100 1:02.54 and 200 2:17.54.

George Bovell III Photo courtesy of theunbreakablebody.com

The 50 scm freestyle saw a national record swim of 20.77. That stands not only as a new national record but the only sub 21 second performance since the retirement of legendary former national record holder “King George” Bovell III. It is also the  first World Cup win in the event  since Bovell.

Rodolfo Falcon Photo courtesy of columnadeportiva.files.wordpress.com

The 50 metre backstroke saw his own national record fall .He took the Gold in a new national and CARIFTA and CCCAN regional best of 23.15. In his victory he turned back the challenge of Italian long course record holder 23.22 Thomas Ceccon and Canadian Javier Acevedo who set a new national mark of 23.24.

Carter .Photo courtesy of newsday

Carter is the only swimmer from the CARIFTA and CCCAN region ever to have swum under 24 seconds. No CARIFTA region swimmer has ever won this race at the World Cup. The best result from the Caribbean is sixth place by  legendary Cuban Rodolfo Falcon in March 1991 when he placed sixth in 26.07

Mehdy Metella

In the 50 metre butterfly all the CARIFTA region Champions present swam this races. Aruban Mikel Schreuders swam to a new national record with a swim of 24.44.His club mate Mehdy Metella of French Guiana stroked his way to 23.82 as he continues to return to his best form. Kenzo Simons ,formerly of Suriname now The Netherlands, clocked 23.70. His personal best stands at 23.10. Dylan would again be the class of the region and the quality field assembled laying down an early season marker of 22.13.

This is the first CARIFTA region win in this race at the World Cup. The best the Caribbean has done is Silver by Puerto Rican Ricardo Busquets who won the Silver in 2000 in  Berlin  in 24.12 .

In a recent article with swimswam.com Carter spoke about his great start to the World Cup season

“I wrote a goal down on my board in my room after having a tough summer,” Carter said. “ I missed out on three major medals. I was fourth at long course worlds. I finished fourth twice at the Commonwealth. I came out of that with a lot of fire. I wrote it down. I knew I wanted to come and be really, really good here. I did what I wanted to do.”

CARTER SETS WORLD LEAD AND NR IN 50 scm FREESTYLE OF 20.77!!!!DYLAN ASCENDS TO THE THRONE AS THE NEW CARIFTA AND CCCAN KING IN THE 50 scm FREE

On the opening day of the FINA World Cup in Berlin Trinidad and Tobago’s standard bearer Dylan Carter got the CARIFTA and CCCAN regions their first win of the tour. He took the Gold medal in the 50 metre freestyle swum in the 25 metre pool in a new National Record and World leading time of 20.77.

Carter ISL

He came to  the German capital having been under 21.5 six times his career. His personal best of 21.11 came representing the London Roar on November 13,2021. Then he finished second to team mate Kyle Chalmers in 21.10.  Today he got under that mark with a swim of 21.08 to lead all qualifiers into the medal race.

In the evening’s final he would  break down the 21 second barrier at the Europa-Sportpark. He would take down a star studded field to  record the only sub 21 second swim of 20.77. Carter had ranked third all time from the CARIFTA region in this raise. He has now crowned himself as the King of the event.

Kenzo Simons

Kenzo Simons from Suriname now representing The Netherlands was second all time with his World Junior record of 20.98 from December 2019.

George Bovell III .Photo courtesy of ADN project

The former all time leader and national record holder was the Legendary “King George “ Bovell III who swam 20.82 just over a decade ago .Then Bovell had his own World Cup tour win in Stockholm ,Sweden . There he got ahead of American Olympic Gold medallist Anthony Ervin who touched in 20.99.

Not only is this a new National Record and World leading mark it also puts King Carter in the all time top 50 performers in the event. From being just outside the top 50 he has ascended to the rank of 23^rd all time. That is the best performance ever recorded by a swimmer from the CARIFTA and CCCAN regions.

Florent Manadou

Silver in Berlin went  to  Australian and Oceania record holder Kyle Chalmer in 21.04. Bronze was won by former World record holder and 2014 World Champion Florent Manaudou , the French record holder in 21.05. Simons recorded a season best of 21.47 to place eighth .

This is the first CARIFTA and CCCAN region win on the World Cup tour since Bovell won in 2014 in Singapore in a time of 21.37.

This 50 freestyle time should be no surprise based on the form King Carter had in the in the 50 metre pool. At the 2022 World Long Championships he became only the CARIFTA region second swimmer to break the 22 seconds barrier when he swam 21.91 in a swim off in Hungary. At the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games he became the fastest ever and highest placed CARIFTA region swimmer. achieved this feat placing fourth in 22.10.

Dylan Carter getting one of his many awards. Photo courtesy of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee

This win adds to his tremendous and growing legacy. It also gives him yet another event where he is ranked in the top 50 of all time.

CARIFTA CHAMPIONSHIP DISTANCE RECORD HOLDER JORIS BOUCHAUT RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE ALL TIME TOP PERFORMERS IN THE 800 scm FREESTYLE

Competitors from around the CARIFTA region may recognize the Joris Bouchaut  from Guadeloupe in  the record books at the annual Championships. In 2012 he set the still standing 15-17 age group records of 15:45.05 in the 1500 metre freestyle and 3:59.79 in the 400 metre freestyle. Both are the fastest times ever done at the meet. 

In the build up to the Short course swimming season swimming stats has been recognizing the all time top 50 performers in the 25 metre pool. The CARIFTA region has been represented by Bouchaut who represents France internationally. His PB of 7:39.38 ranks him 49^th of all time in the 800 scm freestyle.

He set that mark when he won the 2015 French National title .

ALL TIME PERFORMANCE SPLITS

Since that swim in 2012 in The Bahamas he has taken on the mantle of the best distance swimmer from the region.

Joris at the 2022 European long course Championships Photo courtesy of the French Swimming Federation

At the European Long course Championships in Italy this August the TOEC Dolphins conditioned athlete continued to raise the bar with personal best performances and placings in the 400 and 800 metre freestyle events. In the 400 metre freestyle he was sixth in 3:47.20. In the 800 metre freestyle he was seventh in 7:50.69.He also improved his personal best in the 200 metre freestyle to 1:49.54.

Joris celebrating Gold in the 1500 metre freestyle at the 2022 Mediterranean Games in Algeria. Photo courtesy of Joris Bouchaut

Bouchaut’s  Regional Best  Marks

With a successful long course season he will be looking to lower his personal best in the 25 metre pool and qualify for the World Short Course Swimming Championships in Melbourne in December.

“KING GEORGE BOVELL III” CONTINUES TO REIGN AS THE FASTEST 100 scm INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY CARIFTA AND CCCAN SWIMMER !!! HIS 51.15 RANKS HIM AS 12th BEST PERFORMER OF ALL TIME

Goerge Bovell III

At the  2012 World Short Course Swimming championships  “King  George”  Bovell III of Trinidad and Tobago created history becoming the first swimmer for his nation and the CARIFTA and CCCAN regions to win a medal in the 100 metre individual medley.

That 2012 World Cup season he had taken three tour victories. With those victories and the landmark medal he would start the 2013 World Cup season in the best possible way with a victory and new national record. On August 7,2013 in Eindhoven, Netherlands Bovell put up splits of 23.62 and 27.53 to record a win in 51.15. The research by swimmingstats has him as the 12th fastest swimmer in the event of all time

That season Bovell battled Russian Vladimir  Morozov and the late Kenneth To then of Australia . Bovell would medal at all eight stops . He would win three Silver and Four Bronze medals. All but one of his swims were under 52 seconds.

MAJESTIC MEDLEY RUN

George Bovell III Photo courtesy of theunbreakablebody.com

Not only did Bovell get the World Short Course Championships medal he also won the first World Cup Medal in this event. In  Feb 2004 he would top the medal podium in Brazil in a time of 54.35. He is the all time CARIFTA region World Cup leader with wins in this race at seven.

“King George “ was coming off another historic World Championships campaign where became the first CARIFTA region swimmer to make the long course final in the 200 Individual medley.At the 2003 Barcelona World Champs where he placed fifth in 2:00.06. The shortest medley race on offer in the 50 metre pool.

Months after the Brazil World Cup triumph he would again raise the bar for the region . At the 2004 NCAA championships for Auburn .He became the first and so far only world record holder in the 200 scm Individual medley with a still standing record of 1:53.93.

George Bovell III Bronze 2004 Athens.Photo courtesy of Newsday

The year 2004 would be another great one with more history at the 2004 Athens Games . There he would become the first and only CARIFTA region medallist in 200 metre individual medley winning the Bronze medal in 1:58.80.

“King George’s” reign is one of immense pride for Trinidad and Tobago and the CARIFTA region. This is additional proof to the swimmers of the CARIFTA and CCCAN regions that ascending to the throne of greatness in swimming is possible

DYLAN CARTER LEADS THE CARIFTA REGION WITH 31st FASTEST 100 SCM BACKSTROKE OF ALL TIME OF 49.91!!! NO OTHER SWIMMER HAS GONE UNDER 51

Competing in the ISL (International Swimming League) final in November 2020 Dylan Carter of Trinidad  and Tobago competing the LA Current made history for himself , his club , his nation and the CARIFTA and CCCAN regions when he became the first swimmer under 50 seconds in the 100 metre backstroke. He put up splits of 23.76 and 26.15 to record a time of 49.91.No other swimmer has even gone under 51 seconds for the race in the 25 metre pool.

Swimmingstats in the build up to the short course season has recognized that performance as the 31^st fastest performer of all time.

This  is the latest recognition of the excellence that Carter has produced in this format . Earlier acknowledgment was made in the 50 and 100 metre butterfly races.

 Another time drop is expected from Carter in this race as has been seen in  his other races since 2020.One of the CARIFTA region superstars who is still active he is also seen as the “People’s Champion” who is always willing to talk to the next generation and impart his wisdom .

Dylan Carter backstroke start .Photo courtesy of swimming world

CARIFTA QUEEN OF SPEED!! ARIANNA VANDERPOOL-WALLACE’S 50 SCM FREE OF 23.93 RANKED AS 45TH BEST OF ALL TIME

 

Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace Photo courtesy of pinterest

You may know her as Anna ,AV-W ,  G.O.A. T (Greatest of All Time) or just simply Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace from the Bahamas, the fastest woman ever from the CARIFTA region.

As swimmingstats continues its buildup to the short course swimming season it has duly noted the 23.93 set by the Bahamian and CARIFTA region legend as one of the top 50 fastest performances of all time. It ranks the CARIFTA Queen of Speed at number 45. She recorded the Bahamian and CARIFTA and CCCAN region record at the 2014 World Short course swimming championships where she placed fifth.

She is the only CARIFTA or CCCAN region woman ever to have gone under 24 seconds. At the World Championships she belongs to a very small list of swimmers that have made the Championship final.  She is the only medallist having won the Bronze in 2010 in 24.04.That list includes sprint Leah Martindale of Barbados, who made the final twice as well.

Eileen Coparropa.Photo courtesyof Olympedia.co

REGIONAL LADIES OF SPEED

Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace Photo courtesy of theswimpictures.com

UNMATCHED IN THE YARDS POOL

That same swimming season she would take the 2011 NCAA Division I title for Auburn University in the 50 yard freestyle in a swim of 21.38. It was then the fastest winning time at the Championships. Earlier at the SEC Championships she set a then school and SEC record of 21.34.  It still stands as the fastest time ever done by a CARIFTA and CCCAN lady in this format. She is the only woman from the these regions to win the SEC and NCAA titles and only double winner . She repeated her SEC victory in 2012 with  another sizzler of 21.34.

Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace Photo courtesy of swimmingworldmagazine.com

SIZZLING IN THE OLYMPIC SIZED POOL

In terms of speed in the 50 metre pool Arianna is still the number one the CRIFTA and CCCAN regions have produced. Her fourth place swimming at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow has not been bettered.

Malia Metella celebrating Olympic Silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics Photo courtesy of zimbio

Only Malia Metella of French Guiana and France can be seen on the same level as AV-W with her achievement of winning 2004 Olympic Silver. She dominated the region and was the top performer as seen by her record at major competitions. The last time the CARIFTA region had a sub 25 seconds performance came at her last Olympics  at the Rio 2016 Games.

Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace Photo courtesy of fitterandfaster.com

REGIONAL EXCELLENCE

The region can take great pride in the achievements of our “QUEEN OF SPEED” . Her hard work and success can only serve as inspiration to those competing and aiming to be the very best in the sport.

ICYMI ” FLYING FORBES” SETS BAHAMIAN 15-17 50 FLY RECORD OF 24.71 AT WORLD JUNIORS !!BEST EVER PLACING OF 12TH BY A BAHAMIAN BOY

At this year’s World Junior Championships Bahamian Nigel Forbes continued to make his mark in the 50 metre butterfly. He has set the national in the 8and under , 9-10, 11-12 and now the 15-17 age group. His latest record of 24.71 makes him the highest placed boy from at the global meet.

Nigel Forbes at the UANA Cup in Peru

Competing in Lima, Peru he put down a marker of 25.12. The swim placed him initially 17^th. With the withdrawal of  South African Backstroke ace Pieter Coetze Nigel would be competing in his first World Championships semi finals. It would be an opportunity he would not squander. In 2021 at the then UANA Olympic qualifier he put down a PB of 25.00. He bettered that time to record a time of 24.71. That would place him 12^th overall.

Lamar Taylor at the 2019 World Junior Championships .Photo courtesy of Drew Bastian

Forbes continued to the progression his nation in the event. Every time The Bahamas boys have competed in the race they have always improved their position .In 2019 Lamar “The Cool Ruler” Tyalor

had placed 31^st in a then PB of 25.18.

CONTINOUS BAHAMIAN PROGRESS

Nigel also bettered the 15-17 record held by Olympian Elvis Burrows of 24.97.In 2007 Burrows had recorded the fastest time ever done at CCCAN en route to winning Gold.

Elvis Burrows Photo courtesy of insiderlouisville.com

Additionally this is the best place for a Bahamian man at the FINA World Championships. The best at the senior level is 26^th when Elvis started his run of competing in four consecutive World Championships . In 2009 in Rome he was 26^th in a still standing national mark of 23.74. In Spain he would blaze under the 24 seconds mark to place 26^th again  in 23.98.

Team TTO celebrates Trinidad and Tobago’s Chef de mission Lovie Santana and Secretary General Ms. Annette Knott capture a moment with 2018 CAC 50 fly Bronze medallist Romany and Gold medallist Carter Photo courtesy of Team TTO

In CARIFTA and CCCAN regions Forbes is tied with Trinidad and Tobago’s Joshua Romany in terms of placing .In 2013 Romany had set the still standing 15-17  CARIFTA record  in Kingston Jamaica of 25.06. At the World Junior In Dubai he would swim to a time of 24.69.  The top junior spot is held by Dylan Carter who won Silver in 23.98 . Carter swam 23.87 in the heats.

Forbes en route to 50 metre butterfly Gold Photo courtesy of CCCAN

At CARIFTA this year in Barbados  Forbes had placed fourth overall in 25.71. He would end the season as the best placed CCCAN and CARIFTA swimmer .Also the fastest swimmer from those regions.  Now in the sub 25 seconds stratosphere look for  “Flying Forbes” to go for 23 seconds swims and record performances at CARIFTA and CCCAN .

TIMMMER RISING TO THE TOP!!SETS 50 FREE PB OF 26.16 TO MAKE MEDAL FINAL AT SOUTH AMERICAN GAMES

At the South American Games Aruba’s Elisabeth Timmer took a major step in her international career when she made the final of the 50 metre freestyle at the South American Games.

Timmer before the start of competition. Photo courtesy of the Aruba Olympic Committee

Timmer secured her place in the Championship race when she clocked 26.55 in the heats. In the biggest race so far in her career she set a big PB of 26.16 to place eighth. She was just off the PAN AM Games A time of 26.05. She is the second fastest CARIFTA region swimmer ever at the competition behind the time of Surinamese  Olympian Chinyere Pigot (London 2012). Chinyere had won bronze in 2014 in 26.05.

This summer Elisabeth created history for Aruba by winning their first Gold medal at the first Caribbean Games in a then PB of 26.70. She would get even faster at her national championships swimming to a time of 26.38.

Elisabeth Timmer Photo courtesy of South Dakota State University Dave Eggen/Inertia

Timmer is a senior studying mechanical engineering student at South Dakota State University. She has led the Jackrabbits every single year in the 50 yard freestyle and is also she is the programme record holder in the 50 yard freestyle at 23.08

Perfecting the timing. Photo courtesy of the Aruba Olympic Committee

. She is now seeking to lead her nation in the 50 metre race. Timmer is now the second fastest ever lady from Aruba and is looking to get under the 26 seconds barrier. In her sights will be the national mark of 25.61 by countrywoman Olympian Allyson Ponson (Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020).

Happy with a good practice set. Photo courtesy of the Aruba Olympic Committee

In fact she will be looking to secure the record trifecta in the freestyle as she has done in the backstroke. Timmer owns the 50 metre 30.96 , 100 metre 1:06.87 and 200 metre 2:28.23 standards. 

Allyson Ponson at the 2016 Rio Olympics opening ceremony Photo courtesy of wikipedia

In Paraguay  she had  a major time drop in the 200 metre freestyle from 2:09.41 to 2:07.95. The national mark also belongs to Ponson at 2:05.66. The 100 metre freestyle has seen her drop down to 57.85 this summer which again puts another Ponson national standard of 56.78 on her radar.

Look for more fast time from Timmer this season leading into another packed Champion season for 2023.

CCCAN 15-17 CHAMPION EMIL PEREZ WINS 100 FLY BRONZE IN A PB OF 53.42 AT SOUTH AMERICAN GAMES

The 2022 15-17 CCCAN Champion and record holder in the 100 metre butterfly Emil Perez of Venezuela continued to win medals at the 2022 South American Games. Yesterday he won Bronze in the 100 metre butterfly in a personal best of 53.42.

Perez with South American Youth Games Silver.Photo courtesy of the Venezuela Olympic committee

As he did in the 50 metre butterfly where he won medals in both the junior and senior editions of the competition, Silver in 24.84 in Rosario, Argentina and Bronze 24.29 Asunción, Paraguay, he would accomplish the feat in the 100 metre butterfly.

Perez with South American Games Bronze. Photo courtesy of the Venezuela Olympic committee

In Rosario he had won the 100 metre butterfly Silver in a then personal best of 54.93. He has improved his speed significantly since then. In the heats he set a new personal best of 53.86. The final would see him drop even more time as he took the Bronze in a time of 53.42.That swim was well under the 2023 PAN Am Games A mark of 54.05. Silver went to Colombian David Arias González who clocked a PB of 53.39. In 2018 he was seventh in 55.11. The Gold went to Brazilian Matheus Gonche in a time of 52.37. In 2018 Gonche won the Bronze in 54.41.

Albert Subirats.Photo courtesy of deportes1venezuela

Emil’s medal marked a return to the podium since countryman and future coach at Virgina Tech Alberts Subirats set the mark of 52.26 in 2014

This has been a major breakout year for the Caracas based Perez. He has recorded personal bests in the 100 metre butterfly every time called up for national duties. After winning Silver in Argentina he travelled to Barbados to compete in the CCCAN championships. There he became the first 15-17 swimmer to go under 55 seconds. The standard had stood to Puerto Rican Olympian Arsenio López from 1997 at 55.25. In the heats he took it down to 54.50. That would be taken down to 54.45 in winning Gold. He would also be the fastest swimmer in the race at the meet.

From there he would travel to the World Junior championships in Lima, Peru. The records in front of him would be to better the best ranking for a boy of 12th by Gabriel Huen in 2006 in Brazil. The fastest time by a Venezuelan at the meet of 54.93 in 2015 in Singapore by William Sigala was also up for him to better. At the end of the competition he would be the standard bearer in both areas. Emil went a PB 54.56 to make the semi finals. In that race he went to 54.24 to tie for 9th. He showed the strength of mind to win that swim off in 54.15. With this improvement look for Perez to make a serious run at the Olympic A cut of 51.67 when the eligibility period begins on March 1 next year.

THE SPEED OF EMIL