UANA DAY ONE REPORT EASTERN CARIBBEAN SWIMMING RISING!NATIONAL MARKS FALL TO ODLUM-SMITH, ROBERTS, MITCHELL AND FELIX

The Eastern Caribbean nations continue to show their growing potency in swimming as seen by the national marks and personal bests set on the first day of the UANA Olympic qualifier. The first day of action saw fast swimming in Clermont Florida and new heights being reached by Saint Lucia’s Jayhan Odlum-Smith, Antigua and Barbuda’s Samantha Roberts and Stefano Mitchell and Grenada’s Delron Felix.

Jayhan Odlum-Smith New National 50 metre butterfly record 24.55.

Odlum-Smith in the 50 metre butterfly crushed his old national standard of 24.86 with a big PB of 24.55 . That time placed the 19 year old Azura Florida Aquatics swimmer sixth overall. He was also the highest placed CARIFTA region swimmer in the race. The time gets him ever closer to the World Championships B standard of 24.46. That time standard has a dual role for both the 2021 World Short Course Championships to be held in the United Arab Emirates at the end of the year and the Long course World Championships to be held in May in Fukuoka Japan in May.

Photo courtesy of Azura Florida Aquatics

Teammate from Antigua and Barbuda Stefano Mitchell also had a significant time drop in setting a new national record. He lowered his own national mark of 25.69 set the at the 2019 World Aquatic Championships in Korea to 25.30 to place 15th. Countrywoman and teammate Samantha Roberts took down the record from 29.34 to 29.12 to finish 18th.

Delron Felix Photo courtesy of Grenada Sports

Grenada’s Delron Felix representing the Grenada National team bettered his own record set at the 2019 World Championships from 28.15 to 28.13 . That had Felix in 20th place overall. He gave the national record in the 50 metre butterfly a scare when he posted a personal best time of 26.29. The national mark stands at 26.18 set by Marco Bagnasco in 2018 at the Canadian Swimming championships.

Photo of Azura Florida Aquatics

His countryman and Azura Florida Aquatics swimmer Kerry Ollivierre set a new personal best in the 50 metre butterfly of 26.47. That beat the 26.69 he posted at 2018 CCCAN Championships in Aruba.It gave him 40th overall. There would be another personal best in the 50 metre breaststroke as dropped from the 31.47 he posted at the ISCA International Senior cup to register a time of 31.05 for 24th.

The meet got underway with his teammate and Antigua and Barbuda standout Noah Mascoll-Gomes putting up a time of 8:36.00 in the 800 metre freestyle for 22nd .It was not far off his recent national record of 8:31.00.

His countrywomen Bianca Mitchell and Arianna John representing the Vipers swim club notched personal bests in the 50 metre butterfly recording times of 30.77 and 31.14 for 28th and 32nd respectively.

Jennifer Harding-Marlin of Saint Kitts and Nevis was not far off her personal best in the 50 metre backstroke. She touched the wall in 34.39 and her best stands at 34.08 from the 2019 World Championships.

TEAM BARBADOS UANA DAY ONE. TITUS SETS NEW SENIOR NATIONAL 50 METRE BACKSTROKE RECORD , NOW OWNS ALL NATIONAL 50 METRE BACKSTROKE STANDARDS IN EACH AGE GROUP

The first day of the UANA Olympic qualifier saw Danielle Titus of Barbados setting a new national record in the 50 metre and she now owns all the records in every age group of the event.

Titus getting ready to create history for Tulane. Photo courtesy of Tulane swimming and diving

Titus completed her freshman season under the tutelage of Head Coach and fellow countrywoman CARIFTA Legend Leah Martindale-Stancil. She came to Clermont Florida in fine form as she set the school record in the 100 yard backstroke. That form carried to the Olympic sized pool. She placed fifth in a new 18 and over and senior national record of 29.65.

The last 50 metre backstroke record that did not belong to her was in the 18 and over age group.It stood at 31.13 set Natalie Ferdinand from 2007 .The national record was held by Titus at 29.72 from February 2020.She was also the highest placed CARIFTA region swimmer in the race. She continues to close in on the World Championships B time of 29.22. That is the standard for both the World Short Course Championships to be held in the United Arab Emirates in December this and the World Long Course Championships set for Fukuoka Japan May 2022.

Danielle Titus Photo courtesy of Mike C Lyn

50 METRE BACKSTROKE DOMINANCE

Age Groups	TIME	YEAR
8&under	38.26	2011
9-10	34.61	2013
11-12	32.01	2015
13-14	30.82	2017
15-17	29.72	2020
18 &over	29.65	2021
National	29.65	2021

This record augurs well for more national record swims throughout the meet.

TEAM JAMAICA UANA DAY ONE REPORT. THE STREAK CONTINUES.ALIA REMAINS UNBEATEN IN THE 50 METRE BREASTSTROKE ON US SOIL SINCE 2016.

The first day of action at the UANA Olympic qualifier at the UANA Olympic qualifier saw Alia Atkinson leading the charge for Team Jamaica with victory in the 50 metre breaststroke and Silver in the 50 metre butterfly.

Alia Atkinson at press conference Photo courtesy of FINA

In the 50 metre breaststroke Alia who represents the South Florida Aquatics Club took the victory in 31.69. That is not far off the World Championships A time for both the short course edition this Dec in the United Arab Emirates and the long course edition in Fukuoka 2022. The win makes ten consecutive wins for Atkinson on US soil. She has not lost a race in America since May 2016. Silver was won by Mexican national record holder Melissa Rodríguez of Britania Desert Dragons in 31.83 and the Bronze went to Panama’s Emily Santos of Montverde Aquatic Club in 32.77.

In the 50 metre butterfly Atkinson won the Silver in 27.03 , just off her season best of 26.97. Gold went to Mexican Athena Kovacs national record holder of Estado DE Mexico in 27.01.Jenny Halden won the Bronze in 27.20. All the medallists were under the World Championships B time of 27.24.

Emily MacDonald

Emily MacDonald representing the Bolles Sharks just missed her personal best of 28.61 in the 50 metre butterfly as she placed 10^th in 28.65.She set her personal standard during the heats of the event at the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games in Barranquilla Colombia.

Simone Vale

Simone Vale of Pine Crest Swimming set  a new personal best in the 50 metre butterfly of 29.67 to place 21^st .Her personal best was set during the heats of the race at the 2019 CCCAN Championships in Barbados.She was just off her personal best of 31.45 in the 50 metre backstroke placing 15^th in 31.56.

Sidrell Williams Photo courtesy of Mike C Lyn

Sidrell Williams of Azura Florida aquatics in his first race since the summer of 2019 raced to 25.93 in the 50 metre butterfly. His best time stands at 25.20 from the same year

OFF THE MARK FOR 2021!SINCLAIR, JACKSON AND RABESS LEAD CAYMAN ISLANDS CHARGE IN THE 50 METRE POOL

The ISCA International Senior Cup held last month in St Petersburg had special significance for the Cayman Islands . This as it marked the end of no competitive action for the country in the 50 metre pool for 2021 and most of 2020 ravaged by the COVID pandemic.

Leading the charge for their nation were the trio of Elana Sinclair, Alison Jackson and Kyra Rabess.

Elana Sinclair ,Photo courtesy of Jo Sinclair

Sinclair , who left her junior career behind her at the 2019 CARIFTA Championships in Barbados had her best result in the 800 freestyle . She placed 12th in the grueling event in 9:36.65. She had also won the Silver in the event in Barbados moving up a place from Bronze in the 2018 in Kingston Jamaica. She also registered times of of 2:00.09 in the 200 yard freestyle and 5:17.30 in the 500 yard freestyle. The meet’s format had yards swims for the heats and long course metres for the finals.

Draftingthe caribbean spoke to the talented distance swimmer about her first foray in the long course pool

“ISCA was a massive opportunity for me. I was very excited to be racing again and I didn’t realize how much I missed it. Although I didn’t swim close to best times, the experience of being able to be on the same pool deck as names such as Caleb Dressel and Ryan Lochte was irreplaceable for me”.

Alison Jackson Photo courtesy ofcaymansportsbuzz.com

Also making the first strokes in the 50 metre pool was countrywoman Aliso Jackson. Fresh from her participation at the Western Athletic Conference for the University of Northern Colorado where she set a number of personal bests that form was kept for this meet. Jackson improved her 200 metre freestyle best time to 2:11.06. That placed her 8th in the B final of the 17 and over 200 metre freestyle. She also put down early season markers of 27.50 for ninth in the B final of the 50 metre freestyle. She maintained that position in the B final of the 100 metre freestyle stopping the clock in 59.08. At her last CARIFTA Championships in Barbados she had lifted the 15-17 100 metre freestyle title.

She gave her thoughts about returning to action in the “big pool”

“Racing long course was pretty tough after a year and a half gap, and transitioning from short course yards to long course meters was challenging. I am thankful I had the opportunity to race at ISCA to see where I am, and am pretty sure I am not the only swimmer who felt that way. I am away at university right now, but if we had a 50m pool available for training at home our national team swimmers would have been able to train in it last summer when lockdown ended and on into the 2021 long course season. It would have helped me and for sure would help all our swimmers”.

Elana Sinclair and Kyra Rabess . Photo courtesy of Marlene West

The youngest member of the team Kyra Rabess registered a personal best time as well in the 200 metre freestyle. She pushed herself to 2:08.82 for seventh place in the 16 and under category. In the 50 metre freestyle she was fourth in the C final in 27.24. For the 100 metre freestyle she was ninth in the D final in 1:00.38.

Kyra gave her analysis of the early season opener

It felt very different competing in a long course pool as i haven’t been able to swim in one since 2019 or even train in one. it was a good experience though as it creates a change in the atmosphere as its something different. I was a little worried as I haven’t swam in a long course pool in such a long time and that I have not been able to train in a long course pool. but overall I felt that I did pretty well competing at ISCA, despite the length of time between my chances of swimming in a long course pool”.

The Cayman Islands has a strong cadre of ladies moving up to the senior level. If they can be kept together the relays should be a potent force at regional and international level in the years to come.

SO CLOSE!KEANAN DOLS JUST .06 OFF ANOTHER TOKYO B TIME IN THE 200 METRE BUTTERFLY

Buoyed by a national record and Tokyo B qualifying time in the 200 individual medley on the opening day of the 2021 TYR Pro Swim Series – Mission Viejo (March 8 to 11) Jamaican Keanan Dols was bubbling with confidence to get another mark in the 200 metre butterfly.

Keanan Dols

He carried that energy to the heats of the 200 metre butterfly and he powered his way to the Championship final with a new personal best of 2:00.03 crushing his old personal best of 2:01.32 and a mere .06 from the B qualifying standard of 1:59.97. Dols also is closing in on the 2017 national record of 1:59.83 by countryman Michael Gunning .Dols set his previous personal record mark en route to the Championship final at the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games in Barranquilla , Colombia.

Comparison of personal bests

200 metre butterfly	2018	2021
First 50	27.59	26.63
Second 50	30.74	30.71
Third 50	31.98	30.92
Fourth 50	32.10	31.77
Total time	2:01.32	2:00.03

In the final The Gator Swim club athlete recorded the second best time of his career to place seventh in 2:01.00. The Gold went to Nicolas Albiero , the 2021 NCAA Champion from the University of Louisville in the 200 yard butterfly in a time of 1:57.86. Silver was won by Chase Kalisz, the 2016 Olympic Silver medallist in the 400 individual medley in 1:58.16 and the Bronze to Zach Harting in 1:59.38. Harting had placed sixth in this event at the 2019 World Championships.

Dols at 2016 CISC Photo courtesy of Mike C Lyn

Keanan spoke to draftingthecaribbean about that race and what is store for him for the rest of the season

“I was really happy with the 200 fly. It was a super emotional and tiring day having swam the IM earlier in the morning. It would have been awesome to have gotten under the 2:00 barrier but I’m still very happy with a 2:00.03. I didn’t quite close out the last 50 meters perfectly but it was a significantly better swim than 2 weeks ago at the ISCA championships. I think I’m capable of a 1:59 low or even a 1:58 high and I’m looking forward to racing it again when I get the opportunity. The next meet on the schedule will be the Atlanta Classic in mid May and now the major focus is on getting back to heavy training to be even better than this past week in Tokyo”.

CARIFTA ALL TIME PERFORMERS IN THE 200 METRE BUTTERFLY

The Bahamas	Jeremy Knowles	1:58.25	2006 Pan Pacific Championships
Guadeloupe/France	Matthias Marsau	1:58.45	2016 Marseiile March 2016
Jamaica	Michael Gunning	1:59.83	2017 British championships
Jamaica	Keanan Dols	2:00.03	Mission Viejo 2021
Suriname	Anthony Nesty	2:00.17	1988 Olympic Games
Cayman Islands	Shaune Fraser	2:01.58	CCCAN 2005

Nesty receiving his Gold medal in the 100 metre butterfly at the 1998 Olympic Games

The personal best moves to number four on the all time best performers in the 200 metre butterfly swimmers from the CARIFTA region. He moves ahead of Surinamese Olympic Gold medal medallist and icon Anthony Nesty. Nesty ,who will now lead both swimming programmes at the University of Florida set his national record at the 1988 Seoul Games where he finished eighth in 2:00.17.

Matthias Marsau

Matthias Marsau who last swam at CARIFTA in 2012 where he won the Silver in the 13-14 age group. Four years later he rocketed to 1:58.45 at the French National Championships.

Jeremy Knowles Photo courtesy of Bahamas swimming

The regional all time leader is Olympian Jeremy Knowles of the Bahamas who set his national record of 1:58.25 at the 2006 Pan Pacific Games in Victoria ,British Colombia Canada. He finished 7th in the race. At the age group level before the advent of the 50 stroke events and the 800 metre freestyle relay Knowles dominated CARIFTA 1999 in Kingston Jamaica. He won all 16 events offered in the 15-17 age group.

Sion Brinn 1997 Photo courtesy of diomedia.com

With Keanan confident in his abilities to hit the tough Olympic standards it will not be too long before he hits another qualifying mark. This would make him the first Jamaican man to make more than one Olympic qualifying mark since Sion Brinn who achieved the feat for the 50 and 100 metre freestyle events for the 1996 Atlanta Games.

CARIFTA REGION SWIMMERS GET IT DONE IN 24 HOUR BLITZ.EVANS,CARTER,DOLS AND SIMONS HIT TOKYO OLYMPIC B TIMES

The youth of the CARIFTA region were treated to an excellent performance by Alex Sobers of Barbados who hit three Tokyo Olympic B times at the ISCA International Senior Cup. In a 24 hour time span on April 9 more B cuts were added by former age group stars Joanna Evans of The Bahamas, Dylan Carter of Trinidad and Tobago ,Keanan Dols of Jamaican and Kenzo Simons of Suriname now representing the Netherlands putting down their long course season markers before the Games in the Asian continent.

Joanna Evans of The Bahamas

Joanna Evans , the fastest English speaking woman in the 200 freestyle from the CARIFTA region of all time blazed during the heats of the events at the 2021 TYR Pro Swim Series – Mission Viejo. The meet has the format of heats in the evening and finals in the morning saw the Bahamian rocking to 1:58.43 (split time 57.76). It marked the fastest time she had done in years . That swim actually marked the second time she has dipped under 1:59.00.Her best time actually stands at 1:58.03 in a Championship record swim at the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games. The Tokyo Olympic B time is 2:00.80.

200 metre freestyle	2021	2018
First 50	28.07	28.13
Second 50	29.69	30.05
Third 50	30.58	30.01
Fourth 50	30.09	29.84
Total time	1:58.43	1:58.03

Clearly the national record as well as the Tokyo A time of 1:57.28 are in danger of being eclipsed in the near future. Returning to swim the final the next morning the Longhorns Aquatics swimmer punched the clock in 1:59.41 for seventh overall. Evans has consistently been the fastest woman in the event from the CARIFTA region since 2017 .

Dylan Carter of Trinidad and Tobago

Shortly afterwards in the 100 metre butterfly it was the turn of Team Elite’s Trinidad and Tobago star Dylan Carter. He took to the water in the event in the heats and got home in a time of 52.94. Carter put down a time that is close to his national record of 52.64 which he set at the 2019 US Open.

COMPARISON OF SWIMS

100 metre butterfly	2021	2019
First 50	24.66	24.33
Second 50	28.29	28.31
Total time	52.95	52.64

The time was well under the Tokyo B time of 53.52.In the morning final the following day he was again under that standard competing in the B final. He placed sixth in a time of 53.34. Carter along with Frenchman Mehdy Metella have reigned the 100 butterfly kingdom as the best products from the CARIFTA region for the seven years. Carter , despite the pressures brought by the worldwide pandemic persevered and competed at a high standard in 2020 and continues to be recognized for his hard work by his country. In December of last year he was named the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee’s Sportsman of the Year. In January he named the ” Youth of the Year” by the Daily Express. Recently he was awarded the Sportsman of the Year at the 58th annual First Citizen’s Sports Foundation awards.

Legendary coach Gregg Troy and Keanan Dols of Jamaica

In a time trial after the heats were swum Jamaican Keanan Dols had a date with destiny in the 200 metre Individual medley. After taking down the national record of Andrew Phillips in 2018 in the Championship final of the Central American and Caribbean Games Keanan had not done faster time since. In California, the same state that Phillips had become the first swimmer from the CARIFTA region to make the Olympic final in the event at the 1984 Los Angeles Games he would become the first Jamaican under 2:03. The nation’s standard now stands at 2:02.15.The Tokyo Olympic B time stands at 2:03.26

COMPARISON OF RECORD SWIMS

200 metre IM	2018	2021
Butterfly	26.78	25.93
Backstroke	31.55	30.85
Breaststroke	35.55	35.30
Freestyle	29.78	30.07
Total Time	2:03.66	2:02.15

Buoyed with the confidence of a new national record Dols will swim the race proper on Sunday with another shot of bettering his time.

Kenzo Simons

In Europe it would be the turn of Kenzo Simons of Suriname who now represents. Recognized by FINA and the world as the fastest youth swimmer with his world record in the 50 freestyle in short course metres of 20.98 in December 2019. At Eindhoven Meet at the Pieter van den Hoogenband Stadium he put a time of 22.05 in the Olympic sized pool. That placed him second to teammate Jesse Puts 21.87. The B time is 22.67 and the A time is 22.01. Simons is faster in the 50 metre freestyle than the icon in which the Stadium is named as Pieter’s best time is 22.03. Kenzo has been knocking on the door of the sub 22 seconds club after sprinting to his personal best of 22.02 in December of 2020. Only legendary Olympian George Bovell III has ever swum under 22 seconds from the region and he broke that barrier more than ten times.

The CARIFTA region has a lot to be proud of with their swimming representatives. Also they serve as an inspiration to the next wave of swimmers of the time standards that can be met and bettered.

JAMAICAN DOLS DOES IT! KEANAN SWIMS TO TOKYO OLYMPIC B TIME IN THE 200 INDIVDUAL MEDLEY WITH NEW NATIONAL RECORD OF 2:02.15

April 9,2021 will mark a special day for Keanan Dols , his family , his club Gator Swim Club and the country of Jamaica as he bettered the Olympic B time of 2:03.26. Swimming in a time trial today at 2021 Pro Swim Series -Mission Viejo he swam to a new national record of 2:02.15.

The new national record on the cards from his first long course meet for 2021 when on March 24 at the ISCA International Senior Cup he had raced to a time of 2:03.74 for fifth place. Keanan who is the most dominant swimmer in the medley events since former Olympian and national record holder Andrew Phillips (1984 LA Games)1984 saw what was possible with a few changes.

Keanan and Mom at the ISCA International Senior Cup

The Pro Swim Series meet which is having heats being swum in the event and the finals at the Marguerite Aquatics Center in Mission Viejo to mimic the situation at the Olympics would be the site of the Jamaican’s breakthrough. He did a time trial to go after the Olympic B time. Dols certainly approached the race like a man on a mission. This is demonstrated by his splits were he was more aggressive in the early segments of the race. When he touched the wall the scoreboard registered MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, New National record and Olympic B time of 2:02.15.His Old record was set in a fourth place finish at the 2018 Central American and Caribbean in Barranquilla Colombia.

COMPARISON OF RECORD SWIMS

200 metre IM	2018	2021
Butterfly	26.78	25.93
Backstroke	31.55	30.85
Breaststroke	35.55	35.30
Freestyle	29.78	30.07
Total Time	2:03.66	2:02.15

Draftingthecaribbean got the opportunity to speak to Dols about his fantastic achievement and he gave his thoughts about his swim and his journey

Legendary Coach Gregg Troy and Keanan

” The 200 metre individual medley was a really special swim .I was really happy with it and it has been a long time coming. It is my first long course best time since the summer 2018 and it feels really good to be that far under the B standard and to be in the position I am in now. I am really grateful to be part of the training group that I am down in Florida there are a lot of great teammates that push me to better every single day and I learn a lot from everyone and I am really looking forward to the rest of this meet the 200 metre butterfly and the 200 metre individual medley .I think I can be really good the rest of this meet .It is a very good start to the summer and I am looking forward to the push towards Tokyo”.

That swim puts Dols as the sixth fastest swimmer ever from the CARIFTA region in the event

Bradley Ally Photo courtesy of PanamericanWorld.com

Country	Name	Time	Meet
Barbados	Bradley Ally	1:58.57	2008 Beijing Olympics
Trinidad and Tobago	George Bovell II	1:58.80	2004 Athens Olympics
France/Gaudeloupe	Ganesh Pedurand	2:00.52	2016 French National Champs
The Bahamas	Jeremy Knowles	2:01.35	2008 Beijing Olympics
Aruba	Patrick Groters	2:01.62	2019 US OPEN
Trinidad and Tobago	Nicholas Bovell	2:03.02	2007 PAN AM Games

Ganesh Pedurand Photo courtesy of fr.linkedin.com

When swimmers make a breakthrough like this it usually the case the time drops will continue as the weight of making the time is gone. Interestingly the fastest swimmer ever Bradley Ally of Barbados was under the tutelage of Gregg Troy who was the head Coach who was the head Coach of the University of Florida at the time along with the Olympic regional standard bearer Gold medallist Anthony Nesty of Suriname as his assistant. Dols is in the right environment and is producing what has be seen of his great talent at the youth level.

Legendary coach Gregg Troy and Keanan

THE MAX FACTOR!NATIONAL RECORDS FALL TO WILSON OF THE US VIRGIN ISLANDS AT ISCA INTERNATIONAL SENIOR CUP

On Friday March 26 the CARIFTA region celebrated three victories at the ISCA International Senior Cup in St Petersburg Florida. A sensational victory by Alex Sobers of Barbados in the men’s 200 metre freestyle and Gold by Bermudan standout in the women’s 50 metre backstroke. The first top podium place was taken by Max Wilson of the US Virgin Islands in the 50 metre backstroke in national record time.

Representing the Saint Thomas Swimming Association in the 16 and under division Wilson made the Championship final with a 23.08 swim in the 50 yards event. The format for the competition was heats in the 25 yards pool before competing in the finals in the 50 metre pool. The morning swim positioned him as the number one seed. He underlined his favorite’s tag with a dominant win in the evening.

2016 Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships 15-17 50 metre backstroke medla podium from left to right Mays Bronze , Justin Samlalsingh Gold (Team TTO) and Patrick Groters (Team Aruba) Silver.Photo courtesy of Mike C Lyn

He stopped the clock in a new personal best of 26.63 to be the only sub 27 seconds swimmer in the race. That swim makes Max the fastest ever swimmer in the 50 metre backstroke in the 15-17 age group. This as he lowered the mark of 27.53 set by Matthew Mays at the now defunct Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships. Mays had set the mark during the heats of the event in before taking the Bronze in the final .

Mays is currently a standout performer for Bryant University and owns the programme records for the 50, 100 and 200 yard backstroke races for the Smithfield Rhode Island Institution.

It was a huge time drop for Wilson who had a previous personal best of 27.64 from the 2019 World Junior Swimming Championships in Budapest Hungary.

In his last regional competitions CARIFTA and CCCAN he had won the Silver in times of 28.19 and 28.05 in the 13-14 age group. In what is his second year of the 15-17 age group he is closing in on the CARIFTA Championship record of 26.27 held by Jack Kirby of Barbados.

In the race in Florida Silver went to Brendan Conners in 27.13 and the Bronze to Erik Seicean in 28.24.

Max Wilson get ready for the start of the 100 metre freestyle

Another national record would fall in the 100 metre freestyle. He would make the B final in the event after posting a time of 46.82 in yards in the morning. The race saw him going out hard with the fastest split of 25.07. He would not relinquish the lead and touched first in a time of 52.56. This makes him the first 15-17 swimmer from the US Virgin Islands under 53 seconds . The previous national record stood at 53.13 to Olympian Branden Whitehurst (London 2012).

Branden Whitehurst. Photo courtesy of texassports.com

Branden, who is University of Texas graduate had set the mark just under 14 years ago the 2007 edition of the CARIFTA Championships in Kingston Jamaica when he took the 15-17 title.

2019 CARIFTA 13-14 100 metre freestyle medal podium from left to right Nathaniel Thomas (Team Jamaica) Silver medallist , Wilson Gold and Sam Williamson (Team Bermuda) Bronze medallist. Photo courtesy of Bermuda CARIFTA Swim Team 2019

It was another massive personal best for Max as his old time had stood at 54.76 when he won the 13-14 crown in Barbados in the 2019 edition of CARIFTA.

He was the only swimmer in that race under 53 seconds.

Second went to Andrew Hudson of the Hudson Area Swim Association in 53.00 and third to Stone Miller of Kamehameha Swim Club in 54.08.

Wilson reflects just before the 200 metre backstroke race

There would be Gold for Wilson in the 200 metre backstroke. His personal best had stood at 2:11.64 from the 2019 World Junior Championships. He crushed that mark to register a new personal best of 2:08.22 (split time 1:00.31). That made significant progress on reaching the 15-17 national mark of 2:07.57 set by Mays on Aug 9,2016 at the National Club Swimming Association Summer Championships.

200 metre backstroke	Mar 2021 Wilson	Aug 2016 Mays
First 50	28.52	29.48
Second 50	31.79	32.90
Third 50	34.33	33.10
Fourth 50	33.58	31.89
Total Time	2:08.22	2:07.37

The 100 metre backstroke mark set by Mays of 58.98 is also under threat as Wilson registered a time of 59.23 to finish fourth in the event. He had set his past best time of 59.28 in February in a winning performance at the Plantation Senior qualifier. The national record was set at the 2015 World Junior Swimming Championships in Singapore.

100 metre backstroke	Mar 2021	August 2015
First 50	28.73	28.45
Second 50	30.50	30.53
Total Time	59.23	58.98

Adriel Sanes

Also under notice is the 15-17 50 metre freestyle record of 24.37 set by Adriel Sanes at the 2016 CISC. He dipped under the 25 seconds barrier for the first time as he posted a mark of 24.87 to place 10th in the Championship final.

Sanes is a star performer for the University of Denver and holds school records in the 100 and 200 yard breaststroke with times of 52.32 and 1:55.70.

Max 50 metre freestyle start

With Wilson breaking new ground with his age group national records the US Virgin Islands can look seriously at senior medley and sprint freestyle relay teams making a big impact at regional and international competitions.

HAITI’S DAVIDSON VINCENT TAKES DOWN 200 METRE BUTTERFLY RECORD AT ISCA INTERNATIONAL SENIOR CUP

Team Haiti at the Paraguay Olympic qualifier in December 2020. From left to right Raphael Grand’Pierre, Coach Stacey Blitsch ,Davidson Vincent, Dr Evenel Mervilus,President of theHaitian Water Sports Federation and Alexandre Grand’Pierre

As Team Haiti continues to gain greater prominence in world swimming one of their top swimmers that continues to aid in gaining greater spotlight is Davidson Vincent. At the recently concluded ISCA International Senior Cup he continued to raise the bar for his nation by lowering his national record in the 200 metre butterfly You would be forgiven for thinking he is just a sprinter but his performance in the 200 metre event has continued to make promising strides.

Davidson Vincent .Photo courtesy of Azura Florida Aquatics

In the meet’s format which had preliminaries were swum in yards and the finals in long course metres . In the 200 yard butterfly the Azura Florida Aquatics swimmer had a big time drop moving from 1:52.83 which he did November last year to 1:50.70. That earned him a place in the B final. That evening’s swim of 2:09.86 saw him becoming the first swimmer from Haiti under 2:10 in the 200 metre butterfly. Vincent has lowered the record three times since the start of 2021.

ANALYSIS OF RECORD SWIMS

200 metre butterfly	Feb 14,2021	March 7,2021	March 27,2021
First 50	27.88	28.12	27.28
Second 50	32.71	32.07	31.49
Third 50	34.26	33.91	33.52
Fourth 50	37.37	36.24	37.57
Total Time	2:12.19	2:10.34	2:09.86

Coach Gianluca presenting Davidson with the 2021 Grand’Pierre Perseverance Award winner.Photo courtesy of Haiti Swimming Fans

Draftingthcaribbean spoke to Head Coach of Azura Gianluca Alberani about this swim in the 200 metre butterfly

“Davidson’s improvement in his 200 has been amazing and he still has a lot of improvement to make once he will accept it as a race he that he can perform well in. He dropped over 15 seconds in in just over a year and this is building confidence for his 100 metre butterfly as well. We are very pleased with Davison’s development and looking forward to seeing his future successes”.

In the 100 yard butterfly he again set a new personal best moving from 48.98 to 48.69. That earned him yet another B final berth. A fast opening 50 of 25.50 earned him a time of 55.10 and third in the race. He was not far off his national record and personal best of 54.57 set at the Paraguay Olympic qualifier in 2020.

In the fastest butterfly event , the 50 metre race he would be the victor in the C final. After posting a yards time of 22.78 he topped the field by more than half a second to win in 25.25 . Again he was just off his national record of 25.08.The swim brings the 2021 World Short Course Championships and 2022 World Long Course Championships of 24.46 in sharper focus. Those global meets will be held in UAE, United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi from Dec 16-21 and Fukuoka, Japan from May 13 -29 respectively.

Vincent will be back in action to seek more glory for Haiti at the UANA meet in Clermont Florida from April 29 to May 2.

EASTERN CARIBBEAN SWIMMING CONTINUES TO GET BETTER!JAYHAN ODLUM -SMITH LOWERS BUTTERFLY RECORD AGAIN AS REGIONAL SWIMMERS SET NEW PB’S

The quality of swimming from the Eastern Caribbean swimming continues to get better. The final days of the ISCA International Senior Cup gave those swimmers yet another opportunity to show their quality and the progress of the sport.

Jayhan Odlum -Smith.Photo courtesy of Azura Florida aquatics

Leading the way was St Lucia’s Jayhan Odlum-Smith.Competing in the 100 butterfly he was initially an alternate but got the oppportunity to swim in the evening’s C final. With the meet’s format of yards in the morning and long course metres in the afternoon he would swim in the Olympic sized pool later that day. He made great use of the second swim with a winning time of 55.49. His aggressive first 50 metres which saw him take the lead ensured the win as he was able to come home in under 30 seconds. It was also a new national record as he lowered his own mark set in November.

100 metre butterfly	Nov 2020	March 2021
First 50	26.34	25.56
Second 50	29.52	29.93
Total Time	55.86	55.49

The Azura Florida Aquatics continues to get closer to the Olympic B standard time in the event of 53.52. Head Coach Gian Luca Albernai spoke about Jayhan’s record swim

” It has been a great learning meet with a number of high level swimmer and big names he able to keep focused and overcome any nervous emotions because of the size and importance of the meet and he was able to leave everything in the water and enjoy the swim from the beginning to the end and the time reflected that. We are moving in the right direction .He has been improving constantly. This is really giving him and us confidence to continue working hard towards the next meets and for the Olympics”.

In the 100 metre freestyle he also set a new personal standard. At the 2019 CCCAN Championships in Barbados he had placed fourth in a time of 52.82. He bettered that time with a swim of 52.75 in the B final of the event to finish eighth.

Stefano Mitchell. Photo courtesy of Azura Florida Aquatics

His teammate from Antigua and Barbuda Stefano Mitchell also made improvements. Following a best time in the 50 yard freestyle he lowered his best in the 100 metre freestyle. Competing in the C final his personal standard moved from 52.52 to 52.41. He had set his previous record in February at the Southern Zone Championships. He placed second in the race to Olympian Andrea D’Arrigo who took the top spot in 51.96.

Noah Mascoll-Gomes .Photo courtesy of Azura Florida Aquatics

Finishing third in that final was his teammate and countryman Noah Mascoll-Gomes. Noah stopped the clock in 52.54. That is the fastest time he has done since the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea. He also returned to that World Championships form in the 200 freestyle. In the morning heats he lowered his yards time from 1:39.36 to 1:38.72. In the B final he swam to fifth place in 1:54.99 (split time 55.92). That time is his fastest since 2019 and the fourth fastest of his career.