The fastest man ever in the 50 metre breaststroke in the CARIFTA, Caribbean and CCCAN regions Aruban Olympian Mikel Schreuders created history today at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha,Qatar. He became the first man from any of those regions to make the final in the race at the World Championships in the 50 metre pool.
Mikel Schreuders. Photo courtesy of Mikel Schreuders
It is also a first for Aruba in any event at the World Championships.He proved that his level was above anyone else in the regions when he set a new regional best in the event of 26.98 in December of last year.No one else had ever swum below the 27 seconds barrier in the event.
Darren Mew .Photo courtesy of alchetron
At the World Championships the 50 metre events outside of freestyle were introduced at the 2001 edition in Fukuoka, Japan. in the first ever 50 metre breaststroke final Head Coach of the Seven Mile Swimmers in the Cayman Islands, Darren Mew representing the United Kingdom placed seventh now in 28.05.There have been 12 editions of the meet with no CARIFTA, Caribbean or CCCAN male representatives until now.
In a buildup up to these World Championships the team at draftingthecaribbean noted it took 27.36 to make it to the semi finals in 2023. Mikel conditioned at Club Le Cercle des Nageurs de Marseille in France took the heats in a time of 27.18 to rank 11th. When we looked the time to make the final last year we saw that it took 27.06. In semi final number two, Mikel with the second fastest reaction time of the 16 competitors of 0.61, willed himself to the final with a fifth place swim and eighth overall in a time of 27.05.
Alia Atkinson. Photo courtesy of World Aquatics
So along with the historic feat of making the final he also the leads the region with the most sub 27.50 performances at five. He now joins a swimming legend, Jamaican Olympian Alia Atkinson as a finalist at this global meet. Atkinson , who is in Doha, is the Chairperson of the World Aquatics Athlete Commission
Atkinson placed fourth in 2019 in Gwangju, South Korea in a time of 30.34. In 2015 in Kazan,Russia she won the Silver in 30.11.
The CARIFTA region’s aquatic stars have made us very proud.With Mikel’s countrywoman Krya Hoevertsz placing seventh in the solo free technical in the artistic swimming and Dylan Carter of Trinidad and Tobago earning fifth place in the 50 metre butterfly and now Mikel set to do battle in the 50 metre breaststroke the youngsters can draw inspiration for world class performances and athletes from within their own region.
Aruban Mikel Schreuders will be aiming for top 16 and beyond next month at his sixth World Championships in Doha, Qatar . He enhanced his chances with breakthrough swims late last year.
Mikel Schreuders. Photo courtesy of Mikel Schreuders
In the 50 metre freestyle he joined the very best in the region with a sub 22 seconds swim. Schreuders won Bronze at the 2023 US Open in a time of 21.93. With 22 seconds the barometer used to define elite sprinters Mikel has shown his hand and what would be possible this in Doha.
His World Championships history saw him diving into the event for the first time in 2015 in Russia. Then he recorded a then PB of 23.89. Seven years later in Hungary he would have a moved up dramatically up the rankings to post a time of 22.44 to place 24th. That was an Aruban best performance and placing at the global Championships. Last year there would be more success as in CARIFTA region showdown in a 17th place swim off he was the victor . He touched ahead of Trinidad and Tobago’s Dylan Carter 22.10 to 22.14.
George Bovell III Photo courtesy of guardian.co.tt
The Club Le Cercle des Nageurs de Marseille conditioned athlete also has the chance to join the best ever performers from the region at this international Championships to make the medal race. That list includes Puerto Rican Ricardo Busquets (1998), Julien Sicot Martinique/France (2003) and George Bovell III of Team Trinidad and Tobago(2009,2011 and 2013) Jordan Crooks of the Cayman Islands (2023) , Malia Metella of French Guiana/France 2007 and Bahamian Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace ( 2011 and 2015).
Malia Metella celebrating Olympic Silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics
Photo courtesy of zimbio
It took 21.94 to make the semi finals last year and 21.85 for a Championship berth so keep on eye to make that World Championships ranking progression.
Mikel Schreuders. Photo courtesy of Roldy Cueto
In the 50 metre breaststroke Schreuders , a University of Missouri graduate has become the regional standard in the race. In December he became the fastest swimmer ever from the CARIFTA and CCCAN regions with a sizzling time of 26.98.
His World Championships record has seen him placing 13th in 2022 with a time of 27.52. Last year he just missed the semi finals with a time of 27.47 to rank 18th . With his two entries at the World Champs being in the the top 20 a semi final berth should be on the cards. It took 27.36 to make the semi finals in Japan last year and 27.06 to make the medal race. He will also be looking to keep his title as the breaststroke sprint King of the CARIFTA, Caribbean and CCCAN regions.
In 2022 Aruban sprinter Elisabeth Timmer earned the title of Caribbean Games Champion in the 50 LCM freestyle. That same year as an undergraduate student at South Dakota State University she became the first Aruban women under 23 seconds with a swim of 22.79 at the Augustana Invitational. Timmer would rack up five sub 23 seconds swims in South Dakota.
Elisabeth Timmer .Photo courtesy of Arizona swimming and diving
Now a graduate student at the University of Arizona Timmer is coming into her own not just as Aruba’s top all time sprinter in yards but the region. The Engineering student came to the 2023 Minnesota Invitational with a season best of 22.95.The meet which ran from November 29 – December 2 at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center would be the site of another Aruban milestone. In the heats the athlete that hails from Savaneta equalled third best time in her career with a season best swim of 22.86. That would earn her a spot in the B final. There she would lower her season best to 22.84 for 6th place.
Knowing there was more in the tank Timmer would time trial in the event. There Elisabeth topped a 4 woman field of Arizona Wildcats to post a new season best, personal best , Aruba best and NCAA B time of 22.67. A major achievement for Timmer and Aruba.
Elisabeth Timmer .Photo courtesy of the Aruba Olympic committee
Currently Timmer is the fastest CARIFTA region woman competing in college. She is ranked second in the CCCAN region in the collegiate ranks. As an undergraduate Timmer had five sub 23 seconds swims . In one semester she has four and is getting used to sprinting at high speeds.
Allyson Ponson
Photo courtesy of sportskidsaruba.com
Goals for 2024 will have to be get into the Wildcats top ten . The tenth ranked time is 22.25. With her greater acceleration the NCAA A cut of 21.63 has to be on her radar as well. With the Paris Olympics to be held next year Timmer will have the opportunity to complete the Aruban 50 freestyle sprint record trifecta. The scm version of the race belongs to her at 25.64 from the 2022 World Champs. The LCM record belongs to Olympian Allyson Ponson at 25.61. She will be looking to get under that standard en route to Olympic B time of 24.82.
Saturday December 16 , 2023 was a day where the CARIFTA region saw breathtaking performances by their stars. In Trinidad and Tobago at home Dylan Carter recorded a new 50 free LCM PB and the first sub 22 seconds freestyle in a CARIFTA region territory of 21.69 at the 2023 ASATT Invitational, Aruban Mikel Schreuders recorded the fastest 50 LCM breast of 26.98 in CCCAN and CARIFTA history in France at the 15e Meeting des Hortillons.. Zarek Wilson of Team Trinidad and Tobago would make it a CARIFTA Region Super Saturday posting the fastest ever time by junior in the region in the 50 LCM backstroke.
Zarek Wilson Photo courtesy of Cheser Adams
SETTING THE STAGE FOR GREATNESS
In 2017 Wilson made his entry on the CARIFTA stage in the event. He won the Bronze in a time of 32.07. Silver then went to the US Virgin Islands Max Wilson , now at Florida State University in 31.74. The Gold was won by Jamaican Nathaniel Thomas , a freshman at Purdue in 31.64.
11-12 boys CARIFTA 50 backstroke Champion Nathaniel Thomas Photo courtesy of Michael C Lyn
The next year he would have one of the best single competition medal hauls in CARIFTA history in Jamaica.
Wilson with the Landon Von Kanel trophy for the 11-12 swimmer who wins both the 200 and 400 metre freestyle races. It is awarded in honour of Von Kanel who was a top swimmer from The Cayman Islands who left us too soon
Photo courtesy of Harold Wilson
He won 13 Gold medals in Kingston .Included in that medal haul was the 11-12 50 metre backstroke title in a time of 30.59.
Barbados Backstroke Stars
Jack Kirby and Olympian Nicky Neckles
Photo courtesy of Pirates Swim Club
Fast forward to the 2022 Christmas Open in Jamaica in December, Wilson conditioned at the Dynamo Swim Club powered his way to 26.55 in the heats. That was the fastest time ever swum at the meet. It was just short of the fastest ever time recorded in Jamaica . That was set when Zarek was in the 11-12 age group at CARIFTA in Jamaica. The mark was 26.27 .It was set by Jack Kirby of Barbados in a Championship record time of 26.27. Kirby is a graduate of the University of Southern California , now being conditioned at the Irvine Novaquatics Swim club .The Novaquatics helped to develop one of the greatest backstrokers of all time American Olympic Gold medallist Aaron Peirsol.
Nikoli Blackman and Zarek Wilson
Photo courtesy of Harold Wilson
This year Wilson returned to the top of the CARIFTA podium in the race since his 2018 triumph. He took the victory in a time of 26.74. Silver went to countryman Nikoli Blackman in 27.00 . A repeat of the Team TTO sweep in 2018. The Bronze to Bahamian Marvin Johnson in 27.66. Wilson had threatened his PB in the heats with a swim of 26.61.
Christian Homer
Photo courtesy of floridagators.com
It would then be off to compete at the Commonwealth Youth Games in front of his home crowd in early August. Before the Commonwealth Youth Games the last time Team TTO got a major medal at the junior level was when Christian Homer (University of Florida) won Gold at the 2010 Youth Olympics. Also the twin island republic have never won a backstroke medal at the Commonwealth Games either at the senior or junior level.
Zarek Wilson.Photo courtesy of Sportt
That would all change when Wilson stroked his way to the Silver in a new big PB of 26.18 . Adding his name to the history books Wilson became the second fastest swimmer ever in Team TTO junior history . Gold was won by Scotland Matthew Ward in a GR 25.51 and Bronze by Nigel Forbes in Bahamas 15-17 AGR of 26.32.
2023 Alabama NCAA bound 4 x 100 yard freestyle team. Photo courtesy of the University of Alabama swimming and diving
Then in his final 50 LCM backstroke Wilson was racing in Jamaica in great form. Now a freshman at the University of Alabama he had already qualified for the NCAA Championships as a member of the record setting 400 yard freestyle relay team . In the morning competing in the heats he created even more history.
He was sizzling in a time of 25.82.
What is the impact of that swim?
He lowered his own meet record of 26.55.
Wilson became the fastest 50 metre backstroke performer of all time beating Jack Kirby’s 2018 mark of 26.27.
He passed the junior CCCAN three way tie between Jack Kirby of Barbados (2018) and Cubans Christian Mendez (2018) and Pedro Medel (2012) at 26.07.
Dylan Carter at the 2013 CARIFTA swimming championships
Photo courtesy of Michael C Lyn
Zarek lowered the 15-17 and Team TTO junior record of 25.99 set by Dylan Carter (University of Southern California). Dylan had record that time of in the heats at the 2013 World Junior Champs in Dubai. He would place eighth in the final in 26.13.
Diego Camacho Salgado.Photo courtesy of BYU Athletics
Wilson also bettered the all time CCCAN junior record of 25.85 set by Mexican Diego Camacho Salgado (Brigham Young University) at the 2021 Mare Nostrum meet. Camacho won the 2023 CAC Bronze in a national record of 25.68
The mark in Kingston now stands as a new PB , TTO 15-17 and junior record and all time CARIFTA and CCCAN junior best.
Wilson’s mark would have placed him fifth at this year’s World Junior Champs in Israel.
Zarek is now the fourth fastest swimmer from the twin island Republic. He moves ahead of Christian Homer’s PB and then Championship record at the 2013 CCCAN of 25.93.
TEAM TTO’S ALL TIME TOP 5 FASTEST IN THE 50 BACKSTROKE
Zarek also moves up to eighth all time in the CCCAN rankings
Dylan Carter. Photo courtesy of the International Swimming League
CCCAN’S ALL TIME TOP TEN 50 BACKSTROKE RANKINGS
Zarek Wilson.Photo courtesy of Harold Wilson
Wilson also got himself under the 2024 Doha World Champs B time of 25.92. An excellent way to close out his junior regional career.
This year has seen a fantastic battle between Aruban Mikel Schreuders and Mexican Miguel De Lara Ojeda for the battle for supremacy as the fastest 50 metre breaststroker of all time in CCCAN history. Today , when Dylan Carter of Trinidad and Tobago sent down a scorcher in the 50 metre freestyle in 21.69, Schreuders would bring the Caribbean heat to France in the 50 metre breaststroke. He became the first swimmer from the CARIFTA and CCCAN regions to swim sub 27 seconds.
Schreuders in flight at the 2022 South American Champs. Photo courtesy of the Aruba Olympic Committee
At the start of the year Schreuders, who competes for Cercle des Nageurs Marseille was the leader for the CARIFTA and CCCAN regions with 27.52 for the 2022 World Champs in Hungary .There he had posted the best CARIFTA ranking at those World Champs of 13th. Miguel closed in on that time with a national record of 27.55 in April.
The two would clash at the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games in El Salvador. They could not be separated then as they tied for the Gold in Games record. At the World Champs it was again a close battle with De Lara Ojeda grabbing the all time CCCAN top spot with swim of 27.38 for 17th overall. Schreuders equalled his CARIFTA region best with a 27.47.
Mikel Schreuders.Photo courtesy of Cercle des Nageurs Marseille
Buoyed by an automatic Olympic time in the 50 LCM freestyle at the US Open in North Carolina of 21.93 Mikel was in hot form.
It showed from the heats at the 15th Hortillons Meeting when he blazed to new regional best of 27.35.His reaction time from the blocks was 0.68. That reaction to the gun improved in the finals to 0.64.He would crush the field by almost a second to stop the clock in a new PB, Aruban record, CARIFTA and CCCAN best of 26.98. The first time any swimmer has gone sub 27 seconds in the region.
Silver was won by Carl Aitkaci of ETOILES 92 in 27.73.The Bronze was earned by Antoine Viquerat of DAUPHINS TOULOUSE OEC in 27.83.
Schreuders makes a massive jump from 56th to 19th in the world. He also ranks fourth in the Americas region.
Mikel Schreuders .Photo courtesy of the Aruba Olympic Committee
TOP AMERICAS 50 LCM BREASTSTROKERS FOR 2023
The barrier breaking swim by Mikel would have also placed him in the Championship final at this year’s World Champs. Mikel is showing the state of readiness he is in for a powerful Paris performance.
The Year of the X continues! Puerto Rican age group star Puerto Rico’s Xavier ” X Man” Ruiz continues to lower the all junior record records in the breaststroke events. The site of his last record breaking feat is the in Columbus , Ohio. The occasion is the SPEEDO Junior Winters Championships -East.
Jordy Groters
Photo courtesy of flaswimnetwork.com
The regional SCY standard at Winter Junior Nationals was set in 2012 by Aruban Jordy Groters. Competing at the Junior Nationals which was not separated by East or West Groters won Silver competing for the Pine Crest swim Club. He won Silver in a time of 54.58 .His splits were 25.81 and 28.77. It was a close battle for the Gold as the winner was Curtis Ogren of Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics in 54.41.
Jordy Groters. Photo courtesy of 297 Sports
Jordy , who is the Head Coach of Giants Aruba is currently competing in Florida with his team at 33rd Annual Winter Championships in Plantation.
His Winter Junior nationals mark was going strong until Friday December 8, 2023. X Man who has committed to the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill lowered the junior regional standard at Winter Junior Nationals. Representing Ridgefield Aquatics his splits in the heats were 25.83 and 28.33 as he hit the wall in 54.16 for a new PB and junior regional best. He had a previous best time of 55.45 (split 26.23).
There would be more history to be made in the final later. The Championship final saw a tightly bunched field at the half way mark with X Man fifth in a fast 25.33. He pushed hard in the last 50 yards with a split of 28.13 to earn the Bronze in 53.46. . The Silver was won Noah Cakir of Team Suffolk in 53.28.The Gold was won by Joshua Wang of Surburban Seahawks in 52.97.
Xavier “X Man” Ruiz.Photo courtesy of Xavier Ruiz
Yet another significant milestone to be celebrated in the aquatic journey of Ruiz. The achievement is yet another stepping stone to for Xavier, his team, Puerto Rico and the wider Caribbean region.
Aruban Chloe Farro is putting an exclamation point on what has been a great year for her. Competing at the Miami Invitational (Nov 30 -Dec 2) for Indiana State University she reclaimed the programme record in the 100 yard freestyle.
In the heats of the event in Oxford, Ohio at the Corwin M. Nixon Aquatic Center Chloe put up a time of 50.47 (split 24.51).That was a new PB. It bettered the 50.54 (split 24.33) she recorded in a fifth place finish at the MVC Champs (Missouri Valley Conference Championships). The evening’s final would prove to be even faster. She would take the Bronze in a new PB and Sycamores school record of 50.02. It ranks her third in the conference. That bettered the previous record of 50.24 set by teammate Alexa Szadorski at the 2023 MVC Champs. Chloe dominates the 100 free performance list board .She has the 11 of the top 20 fastest times in school history. She continues her relentless movement to a sub 50 seconds performance.
Silver went to Maria Brunlehner (Grand Canyon) in 50.00 .Gold went to Nicole Maier (Miami -Ohio) in 47.97.
Alexandra Malmborg.Photo courtesy of gosycamores.com
The sprinter from Savaneta was in scorching form as well in the 50 yard freestyle. The heats of that race saw her lowering her PB of 23.52 from this year’s MVC Champs. Farro stopped the clock in 23.39.That would be lowered to 23.17 for the Bronze in the final. That was just off the school record of 23.19 by Alexandra Malmborg at the 2019 MVC Champs. Farro is ranked fourth all time in school history. The junior is currently ranked third in her conference.
The Silver went to Honor Brodie-Foy of Miami-Ohio in 23.16. The Gold to Briana Rittenbach of Grand Canyon in 22.96.
In relay action Chloe proved how valuable she is to the Sycamores with her outstanding splits.
In the 200 yard freestyle the Sycamores were fifth in 1:32.99. She was given the first leg duties and stroked her way to 23.28. That was another PB as she had set the 23.39 PB in the morning during the 50 heats. It was also the joint fastest lead split of the field. It is not far off the programme record she helped set this year at the MVC Champs of 1:32.44.
The 400 yard medley relay A team placed seventh in a total time of 3:45.60. Farro had the second fastest anchor leg of 50.15.The school record was set this year at the conference champs with Chloe on anchor at 3:41.29. Then her split was 50.47.
In the shorter version of the medley relay, the 200 Farro was again the second fastest anchor. She split 22.65 to help them to fourth in a total time of 1:41.53. The squad was just off the 2023 school record set the conference champs this year of 1:41.29.
The last relay of the meet saw Farro starting quickly for the Sycamores. Her split was 50 .29. The team placed third overall in 3:23.76.It is third fastest ever in school history. The school record is 3:22.09 . That was set at the conference champs this year. Farro started then as well in 50.60.
In the 200 yard freestyle Farro recorded her first swim under 1:53 to make the Championship final. Her old PB was 1:53.48. In the heats she split 54.29 to touch in 1:52.93. For the final she placed eighth in a new PB of 1:52.48 (split 54.37).
The standout performances at the Miami Invitational has earned her the MVC Swimmer of the Week .These confidence boosting performances will help to propel her under the 23 and 50 seconds barrier in 2024 , an Olympic year. We should also see faster times in the LCM pool .
On November 30 at the 2023 Toyota U.S. Open Championships Greensboro North Carolina Aruban Mikel Schreuders the swim that we in the region knew that he was capable of doing, an automatic Olympic qualifying mark in the 50 metre freestyle.
Mikel Schreuders. Photo courtesy of Cercle des Nageurs de Marseille – Page Officielle
2023 THE YEAR OF SCHREUDERS SPEED
Schreuders is being conditioned at the world renowned French Club Le Cercle des Nageurs de Marseille. He travelled over 7,000 km France to take on some of the best sprinters on the planet. This year has been the best ever so far in term of results and times for the sprinter from Oranjestad.
At the French Elite Champs in June he won the Bronze in a then NR of 22.04. His previous best time at the meet was 22.45 in 2022. Last year he was the third fastest overall. So the the sub 22 seconds target was now in the cross hairs.
Later that month at the Central American and Caribbean Games in El Salvador there would a historic Aruban placing and medal. In 2018 in Colombia he had placed eighth in 22.87. This time he would earn the Silver in a time of 22.43, a first ever medal in the event for Aruba.
There would be more flight miles racked up as he flew to Fukuoka, Japan for the World Champs in July. He would provide another moment of history for Aruba, whose population is under 150,000. Last year he swam to the fastest time at the global champs in 22.44. It was also the best placing for the nation as he ranked 24th. This he lowered the best time done at the elite meet with a swim of 22.10. In a swim off with fellow CARIFTA region Olympian he produced that time again to place 17th overall.
The sprinting would continue in Chile at the PAN AM Games. There again he achieved Games best times and placings .In 2019 PAN AM Games Mikel finished third in the B final in 22.89. This time it would be second in the B final with a time of 22.58.
Josh Liendo .Photo courtesy of World Aquatics
With so many closes brushes with the 22 seconds Schreuders could not end the year without another attempt at sub 22 seconds. That opportunity would present itself in North Carolina. Mikel made the A final with a swim of 22.16.There he would face off against the some of the global elite in sprinting. The field included Canadian record holder Joshua Liendo who is coached by regional icon Surinamese Anthony Nesty at the University of Florida (PB 21.61), American Ryan Held who placed fifth at the World Champs (PB21.50),his countryman Michael Andrew ,the 2022 World Champs Silver medallist (PB 21.41), Israeli record holder Merion Cheruti, Mikel’s teammate in France (PB 21.84), American Brooks Curry 2022 NCAA 50 yard freestyle champ (PB 21.84) and Olympian Santo Condorelli who represents Italy (PB 21.83). Mikel was the lone swimmer without a sub 22 clocking to his name . That would all change in the final.
Michael Andrew.Photo courtesy of Michael Andrew Swim Academy
In the that race Mikel would set a new PB, NR and attain the Olympic A time of 21.93 .That earned him the Bronze. Silver went to Liendo in 21.90 . The Gold was won by Andrew in 21.80.
The historic swim underlines his status as the greatest sprinter in his nation’s history. He was the first swimmer under 23.50. Then the first under 23 seconds. Now he is the first under the 22 seconds barrier.
The swim puts him as the 11th fastest swimmer from the PAN AM aquatics region this year.
From the CCCAN region he is the sixth fastest swimmer ever to come from the bloc.
CARIFTA REGION 50 FREESTYLE ELITES
All those six swimmers hail from the CARIFTA region and have swum sub 22 seconds.
Mikel Schreuders. Photo courtesy of the Aruban Olympic Committee
Schreuders is the outright best sprinter from his nation as he owns the 50 best performances in his country’s history. This can only serve as motivation for him to push that speed limit event further. Also it speaks to the current swimmers in Aruba and the rest of the CARIFTA region of our quality that can match the very best in the world.
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.
Fast start for Schreuders. Photo courtesy of the Aruba Olympic committee
Aruba’s Mikel Schreuders continued his historic run of medal performances at the 2022 South American Games with a Silver in the 50 metre breaststroke.
Mikel battling in the 50 metre breaststroke.Photo courtesy of the Aruba Olympic committee
Competing in Asunción, Paraguay he qualified easily for the Championship final with a heat swim of 28.42. In the final ,he had a terrific last 25 metres to win Aruba’s second medal of the competition in a time of 27.80. Gold went to 2011 World Champion in the event and former Brazilian national record holder Felipe França Silva in a new Championship record of 27.74. He lowered the mark of 27.77 by Paraguay’s national record holder Renato Prono. The Bronze medal went to Colombian record holder Jorge Mario Murillo Valdés in 27.81.
Though considered an off event by Mikel , perhaps it is time to be considered a main event for the CN Marseille swimmer. The event is not new to Schreuders having medalled in the race at the junior level. He even led the CARIFTA region in the 13-14 age group . He won the Gold at the 2013 Championships in Jamaica in 31.36.
Mikel Schreuders 50 metre breaststroke South American Games Silver.
Photo courtesy of the Aruban Olympic committee
Fast forward to 2022 he is the all time leader for the CARIFTA, Caribbean and CCCAN regions. He accomplished this feat with a historic semi final berth at the World Championships in Hungary where he placed 13th in a regional best of 27.52. Mexican Miguel Lara has matched Mikel’s regional leading mark of 27.52 with his swim in Medellín, Colombia . But with Schreuders getting better on the international stage he can not only break that deadlock but possibly be the first swimmer from the region under the 27 seconds barrier.
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