This year’s CARIFTA Championships saw Team Jamaica end a more than two decade long Gold medal drought . It was in the boys 11-12 400 metre freestyle that saw the Black , Green and Gold return to the top of the podium through the effort of Arush Rochlani. It took a special swim and time drop of more than 12 seconds for Arush to carry his nation back to the top at his very first CARIFTA Championships. He follows up on the last victory in the event back in 2002 by standout Brad Hamilton.
Brad Hamilton. Photo courtesy of Terri Hamilton
Hamilton was a talented swimmer who sets national records from the 11-12 age group to the senior level. In 2002 he took on the 400 metre freestyle at CARIFTA and faced off against another regional star of that time ,Ryan Nelthropp of the US Virgin Islands in Barbados. It would be Nelthropp who took control of the proceedings from the start and was heading for the win. Hamilton stayed close and out split the field with a final 100 metres burst to take the Gold. Both swimmers would go under the Championship record. The mark that was set a year earlier in the Bahamas by future Olympian Shaune Fraser of the Cayman Islands of 4:39.67 was bettered as the duo swam 4:38.26 and 4:38.36 respectively.
Arush with father Ravi. Photo courtesy of Lynval Lowe
The script would follow a similar vein in 2024. This time Rochlani would take on this year’s Gold and Silver medallists from the 200 metre freestyle ,Christon Joseph of the Bahamas and Mihael Sobers of Barbados.
Alex Sobers
Mihael is the brother of Alex , Olympian and the fastest English speaking CARIFTA region swimmer in the race at 3:53.19 . Mihael pushed the pace in the race . He and Arush took out the first 50 in 31.46 but Sobers started to inch away with Rochlani continuing to work for a podium place. With 100 metres to go Mihael had opened up a half a second lead. It was then Arush made his move. He closed the gap to .07 of a second by the last 50. He surged off the final wall to produce his fastest 50 split and the only sub 32 seconds last lap of the field to take the Gold in 4:37.13. Sobers earned the Silver in 4:37.88 and Joseph the Bronze in 4:43.90.
CARIFTA 2024 boys 11-12 400 metre freestyle podium. Photo courtesy of Lemone Lowe
Arush came to the competition with a PB of 4:50.98 , a massive time drop. This is similar to Hamilton in 2002 whose best had stood at 4:54.92. That CARIFTA was seen as the turning point in Brad’s career and this also is a major moment for Rochlani.
Arush with his first CARIFTA Gold medal. Photo courtesy of Lynval Lowe
COMPARISON OF THE LAST TWO JAMAICAN CARIFTA GOLD MEDAL WINNING TIMES IN THE 11-12 400 METRE FREESTYLE FOR BOYS
We got the opportunity to speak to Arush’s coach Lynval Lowe of Swimaz Aquatics about training the Campion College student
” I coach Arush four time in the afternoons and three times in the morning. We do approximately 6000 to 6,500 metres per sessions. We do a lot of pace sets as well as broken swims holding a particular time”.
The national record for the 11-12 age group is held by countryman Noland Barrett who set a mark of 4:30.87 in July last year. Barrett took the 13-14 CARIFTA Gold medal this year in We asked Coach Lowe what was the plan for Arush to go after the 11-12 record
Breanna Roman, Coach Lowe and Emily MacDonald
” I plan to do strength work, cardio work on the core and a small amount of weight training. I will aslo ove the workload to 7000 per session and continue to work on the broken swims which are an important part of our training.
Britney Williams celebrating with the crowd after winning the 15-17 200 metre freestyle Gold at the 2018 CARIFTA Championships
Photo courtesy of Mike C Lyn
This is the same programme I gave to my other outstanding CARIFTA swimmers Breanna Roman, Britney Williams and Emily MacDonald”.
With this important milestone achieved look for Arush to move forward with confidence in not only the 400 metre but all the freestyle events for Jamaica.
At the 2024 CARIFTA Championships in the Bahamas last month Christanya Shirley again proved that at regional championships when Jamaica needs speed you look to her.
Christanya Shirley with her 50 metre freestyle Bronze medal.
Photo courtesy of the Aquatics Sports Association of Jamaica
The Immaculate Conception star was again firing on all cylinders in her signature event, the 50 metre freestyle on the final day of pool swimming. In the 15-17 age group heats she lowered her season best of 26.80 set at this year’s Walter Rogers Age Group Championships in February. That put her as the second seed for the medal race.
In the final she as she did on the last previous three editions of the CARIFTA Championships she stroked her way to another medal.Shirley has improved her time every time she has hit the water for Jamaica at the competition.
SHIRLEY’S CARIFTA SPRINT PROGRESSION
Christanya dropped a tenth of a second to record a new PB of 26.56 and earn the Bronze. The performance makes her the second fastest Jamaican girl ever at the regional showpiece.
Zaneta Alvaranga, Photo courtesy of Cheser Adams
Another Immaculate Conception star Zaneta Alvaranga is the only girl that has been faster at the meet . In 2022 she won the 15-17 Silver . Shirley is now the sixth fastest performer in Jamaican history.
ALL TIME TOP TEN JAMAICAN SPRINTERS
Natasha Moodie . Photo courtesy of the University of Michigan swimming and diving
Christanya can now aim for lowering the longstanding 15-17 age group record of 25.95 set by Natasha Moodie at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Silver was won by hometown star and Texas Christian University freshman Rhanishka Gibbs in 26.22. Gold was won by Cayman Islands Olympian and the region’s fastest junior of all time Jillian Crooks in 26.20.
There would be more fireworks from Shirley in the 4 x 50 metre freestyle relay . With Team Jamaica in fourth position she provided a game changing leg as she produced a blazing leg of 26.08. No other anchor was that swift . She caught almost all the teams in front of her . The Cayman Islands would withstand her speed to take the Gold in a Championship record and the fastest regional junior time ever of 1:47.93. Team Jamaica would earn the Silver in a new age group record and third fastest junior performance of all time of 1:48.20. The new record holders are Carolyn Levy Powell, Leah Chin, Leanna Wainwright and Shirley.
CARIFTA 2024 15-17 4 x50 metre freestyle Silver medallists and new NAGR at 1:48.20
from left to right Carolyn Levy Powell, Christanya Shirley, Leah Chin and Leanna Wainwright.
Photo courtesy of the Aquatic Sports Association of Jamaica
The old national record was 1:48.42 set by the 2018 CARIFTA team
CARIFTA 2018 15-17 4 x50 metre freestyle relay Gold medallists ina NAGR of 1:48.42
from left to right
Eaton ,Johnson, Banks and Anderson
Photo courtesy of Mike C Lyn
Team Antigua and Barbuda won the Bronze in 1:49.36.
Christanya Shirley
With CARIFTA marking the beginning of the Championship season Shirley has put the nation on national age group record watch for the 50 metre freestyle.
In EC (Eastern Caribbean ) swimming history only one swimmer had ever gone under the 27 seconds mark in the 50 metre backstroke , That swimmer was Saint Lucian Olympian Jordan Augier .
Jordan Augier
Photo courtesy of tampaspartans.com
He posted the national record of 26.80 in the heats of the 18 and over age group at the now defunct Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships in 2016. In the final he won the Silver in 26.92 . Two years later at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Scotland he recorded 26.82 twice . Those time were set in the heats and semi finals of the event . Augier has now been joined by Dominica standout Warren Lawrence.
Warren , who competes for Schwimmclub Kreuzlingen in Switzerland had a PB of 27.32 from the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Competing at the Langbahn Schweizermeisterschaft meet held from April 4-7 he would crush that time in the heats. He posted a time of 27.00 that would put him in the Championship final. In the final he would put the EC record on notice with another massive improvement of 26.89. that gave him his highest placing of the meet of sixth.It also places him sixth in the CCCAN region for the calendar year 2024.
He would record another PB , this time in the 50 metre butterfly. Lawrence stopped the clock in 25.91. That marked the first time a swimmer from his nation went under the 26 seconds barrier.Warren would beat the barrier again with a time of 25.96 to place ninth in the B final.
Warren and father Woodrow. Photo courtesy of the Dominica Olympic committee
Warren is the son of Woodrow ” Woody” Lawrence who competed at the 1996 Atlanta olympics in the 50 metre freestyle. Warren would continue to carry the standards for the Lawrence family and Dominica in the event. He registered a time of 24.55. It was just off his national mark of 24.51.
Warren Lawrence . Photo courtesy of the Dominica Olympic Committee
In the 100 metre butterfly he achieved yet another major milestone. Warren became the first swimmer under the minute mare as he put up splits of 26.29 and 32.62 for a total time of 59.31.
Warren Lawrence . Photo courtesy of the Dominica Olympic Committee
Also at the competition he would put down markers of 56.64 in the 100 metre freestyle and 1:02.83 in the 100 metre backstroke. Lawrence is one the leading swimmers from the EC territories who will pushing towards even better quality standards from the sub region.
At the 2024 Arena Thailand Age Group Swimming Championships Kaheem Lozer continued to make his progression up the all time Jamaican rankings in the butterfly events and challenge the national records. Lozer is World Aquatics scholarship recipient training at the Thanyapura Health & Sports Resort in Thailand since 2023. His efforts in being conditioned in world class facilities continue to bear fruit.
Kaheem Lozer. Photo courtesy of World Aquatics
In the 50 metre butterfly Kaheem ,a graduate of the Wolmer’s Boys School holds the distinction of being the fastest swimmer in Jamaican school boy history with his 2022 mark of 25.57.He also took the CCCAN 15-17 title in a time of 25.47 in Puerto Rico. Now in the senior ranks he is aiming for faster standards and national records. At the Championships he took a big step in achieving those goals. In the heats of the 19 and over category he had a big time drop from 25.47 to 25.03. That enabled him to get into the medal race. There he was just off his newly minted and earned the Bronze in 25.04. The Gold and Silver went to the Bangkok elite swimmers in times of 24.73 and 24.98 respectively.
Bronze medal earned by Lozer in Thailand. Photo courtesy of Andrea Scarlett-Lozer
What is the impact of of this swim?
Kaheem is now the fourth fastest swimmer in Jamaican history. He has now put up his hand as a swimmer that will be looking to challenge the national mark of 24.21 set by Jamaican standout Justin Plaschka. That national record was set in 2016 in Gold medal winning effort at the now defunct Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships.
Kaheem with another fast start.Photo courtesy of Andrea Scarlett-Lozer
Kaheem who is also a World Junior representative would also battle his way to a medal in the 100 metre butterfly.His best in the event was from 2021 at 57.60. But this is a different Kaheem and he showed that new gear of speed in the heats. He swam to his first sub 57 second clocking with a swim of 56.82. In the final he would take Bronze just off the producing his first sub 56 swim with a time of 56.20. The Gold and Silver positions were earned in times of 53.67 and 56.09. Lozer has been working on his last half speed which is seen in the analysis of his PBs.
BUTTERFLY BESTS BY LOZER
Lozer has now moved from 10th to seventh in the all time Jamaican rankings.
There would be more time drops in other events. Unable to contest the medal final due to the two foreigners per race rule he still lowered his time standards. His fastest in the 100 metre freestyle was 54.73.It now stands at 53.84. The 50 metre freestyle saw him dropping from 24.71 to 24.56. In the 50 metre backstroke he was just off his PB of 28.70 with a 29.01.
With this very positive progress Kaheem can put an even keener focus on not just getting faster but attacking the butterfly national records.
Louisiana State University’s Jamaica freshman Sabrina Lyn had a massive breakout competition at this year’s CARIFTA Championships. The World Championship representative made moves up the all time Jamaican rankings and has positioned herself to claim her first senior national individual record. She came to the Betty Kelly-Kenning National Swim Complex with a number of personal bests in the yards pool in her first in college .
Sabrina Lyn. Photo courtesy of lsusports.net
COLLEGIATE SWIM REPORT
The Campion College graduate was looking to show the improvement in the Olympic sized pool.In the 50 metre freestyle she had been under the 27 seconds barrier three times. The last time was in November at the Art Adamson Invitational where she recorded a personal best of 26.64. In The Bahamas she lowered that from the heats in the 18 and over category with a swim of 26.64 .
Sabrina at the opening ceremony. Photo courtesy of Coleen Lyn
In the final Lyn who had never won CARIFTA Gold in the event would turn a new page in her swimming career with a big win against a quality field . She took the title in a time of 25.82. Silver was earned by Trinidad and Tobago Olympian and national record holder Cherelle Thompson in 25.92 . The Bronze was won by Bermudan star and former national record holder Madelyn Moore in 26.11. No other woman was faster at the Championships.
What is the impact of the sprint?
Sabrina Lyn making her debut at the Florida 1A State Championships
Photo courtesy of Shenique Patton
Sabrina, who is also a graduate of the renowned Bolles school in Jacksonville,Florida has become the second fastest Jamaican of all time in the event . Only Olympian and regional icon Alia Atkinson who was handling broadcast duties for the Championships has swum faster. She set the national standard of 25.47 with her 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games Bronze medal winning effort in Colombia. In fact that is also the second fastest performance ever by a Jamaican woman. It is also the third fastest time by a woman in the CCCAN region for the calendar 2024.
In the 100 metre freestyle Sabrina has won CARIFTA Gold in 2019. Then she won the 13-14 crown in a time of 57.89 (split time 28.11). That was the fastest female performance at the meet. She would be racing another strong field that included fellow SEC (Southeastern Conference) competitor University of Georgia’s Bermudan standout Logan Watson-Brown. Logan attended the Baylor school in Tennessee . She also had a PB recorded in 2019 of 57.89 at the Canadian Junior Championships. It would Logan who pushed the pace in the final .Watson-Brown had the advantage with a split of 27.44. Sabrina followed her to the wall with a split of 27.48. Lyn would kick it into another gear and out split the field with a last 50 metres performance of 29.21 .
CARIFTA 18 and over 100 metre freestyle medal ceremony. Photo courtesy of Coleen Lyn
She stopped the clock in a big PB of 56.69, the fastest female performance of the meet. Logan would also set a new personal standard of 57.14 for the Silver. Olympian Mikaili Charlemagne would earn the Bronze in a Saint Lucian national record of 59.02.
Sabrina make a massive move from seventh in the all time Jamaican rankings to second. Only Atkinson and herself have ever gone below the 57 seconds barrier. Alia’s national mark stands at 55.35 from the 2017 Florida Gold Coast Senior Championships. This moves her to third as well for the 2024 in the CCCAN region.
Madelyn Moore .Photo courtesy of uncbears.com
In the 50 metre butterfly Lyn’s PB prior to CARIFTA 2024 stood at 28.12 from 2023. Like her other events it was destined to be erased . Again she wasted no time in lowering it in the heats. She stopped the clock in a time of 28.05. In the final she would battle another Bermudan Madelyn Moore. Madelyn ,a star for the University of Northern Colorado ended her collegiate career at Virginia Tech in 2023. Racing against a quality swimmer Sabrina was pulled to yet another PB. Moore, a 2022 Commonwealth Games semi finalist in the race took the win in the meet’s fastest time of 27.47 . Sabrina got her first sub 28 seconds swim with a Silver in 27.54. The Bronze was earned by Aruban Avi Tromp in a PB of 28.53. That Lyn performance moved from to third in the all time Jamaica rankings. Only Atkinson with her Silver medal winning time national record of 26.54 from the 2018 CAC Games and Jessica Calderbank’s 26.72 from the 2023 British National Championships are faster. For the year 2024 Sabrina is fifth in the CCCAN region.
In the 100 metre butterfly Lyn has a stellar record in the event . From 2017 to 2022 Sabrina had medalled in the seven races she contested at the CCCAN and CARIFTA Championships topping the field on five occasions.
REGIONAL 100 METRE BUTTERFLY RECORD
Sabrina Lyn displaying her 100 metre butterfly Gold. Photo courtesy of the Aquatics Sports Association of Jamaica
The return to CARIFTA would also signal a return to the top of the podium. She would cruise into the finals and capture lane four for the final with a time of 1:02.03. In the final it was a command performance as she took the win by more than five seconds .Falling at the wayside was her old PB of 1:01.46. The Gold was secured by the Jamaican in 1:00.92. Silver was earned by Grenadian Gabrielle Hyson who competes for University of North Carolina at Pembroke in 1:06.72. Saint Lucian Charlemagne took the Bronze in 1:07.11. Again Lyn is third in the CCCAN region for 2024.
In the 50 metre breaststroke timed final all the ladies swam to personal best times. It was Sabrina who took the victory in 32.54. It was her first time under the 33 seconds barrier. She passed Breanna Roman who swam for Auburn University 32.95 to be the second fastest Jamaican of all time. Alia again heads the list with her national record and regional best of 30.11 in a Silver medal winning effort at the 2015 World Aquatic Championships. For 2024 her CCCAN rank is fourth. Second place went to Bahamian Zaylie Elizabeth Thompson who represents Howard University at the collegiate level in a time of 33.84. Grendian Anaika Otway took the Bronze in 34.13.
Alia Atkinson and Breanna Roman
In the 100 metre breaststroke Lyn made it a battle between herself and the clock after the first 50. She split 33.19 almost two seconds ahead of the field.Using that momentum to she powered her way to 1:13.03 , another PB. That has her third overall in the Jamaican all time rankings. Second is Roman . Breanna recorded her best time in The Bahamas in 2016. Then she recorded 1:12.41 to win the 18 and over category at the now defunct Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships. The national record and regional best is held by Atkinson at 1:05.93 in 2015.
Draftingthecaribbean got in touch with Sabrina and asked her about her coaches and training schedule.
Leah Stancil. Photo courtesy of LSU swimming and diving
She is currently being conditioned by Olympian and regional legend Leah Stancil formerly Martindale of Barbados, Lyle Robelot and Head coach Rick Bishop. Coach Leah was the first Caribbean woman to make the 50 freestyle Olympic final at the 1996 Games. There she placed fifth in a still standing national record of 25.49. Leah’s coach then was one of the CARIFTA 2024 coaches, Anil Roberts of Trinidad and Tobago. Head Coach Bishop has had great success working with CARIFTA region swimmers at his coaching stops at Bolles and Baylor as seen with Sabrina’s CARIFTA performances.
Sabrina has 10 training sessions per week totalling 20 hours . The weightlifting programme is done three times a week for an hour. She elaborated on the change in mindset to competition now that she is in college
“Every race is important and there is no competition that is supposedly easy”
Sabrina Lyn . Photo courtesy of Coleen Lyn
With this new level of speed displayed by Sabrina look for a number of Jamaican national records to fall before the end of the Championship season.
When it was announced that Trinidad and Tobago Olympian Dylan Carter would be in the line up for CARIFTA 2024 in the exhibition 18 and over category fast times were anticipated. The Dexter Browne conditioned athlete would not disappoint.
Dylan Carter. Photo courtesy of Dinnora Gil Anthony
Competing in the 50 metre butterfly the fastest man of all time from the Central American and Caribbean region set new Bahamas open record. He swam to a time of 23.50. Carter became the first man ever to record a sub 24 second clocking in the event .
Justin Plaschka
Photo courtesy of Michael Lyn
The old record from 2016 of 24.21 belonged to Jamaican Justin Plaschka in a winning effort in the 18 and over category at the now defunct Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships. He would lower that time to take Gold in a 23.42 performance. Silver went to Lamar Taylor of The Bahamas in 24.47 and bronze to countryman Christian Awah in 24.83.
That added to his list of Bahamas open records
The last time Carter won Gold in this event was in 2009.Then he set the still existing 11-12 record of 28.05 .
In the 50 metre freestyle Dylan’s last Gold medal was in The Bahamas in 2012.Then he he took the 15-17 event in 23.65. Fast forward to 2024 he took it out in the heats in 22.34. In the final he won in 21.958.Silver went to Taylor in 22.32 and the Bronze to Stefano Mitchell of Antigua and Barbuda in a new Eastern Caribbean record of 22.99.
Dylan Carter
Photo courtesy of Dylan Carter
Carter’s performance makes it only the second time a swimmer has broken the 22 seconds barrier in The Bahamas. The open record of 21.93 is held by Olympian Alberto Mestre of Venezuela.It was set at the 2021 Bahamas National Championships. Carter’s win marks his eighth time under the 22 seconds standard.
Dylan continues to get into the form that he needs to push for Gold at the Paris Olympics this summer.
Before the 2024 CARIFTA Championships got underway no EC (Eastern Caribbean) swimmer had ever been on the podium for the 15-17 50 metre freestyle .
Jordan Augier .Photo courtesy of theakimernst
The closest that the sub region has been through the efforts of the Saint Lucian duo of Olympian Jordan Augier (Rio 2016) and Runako Daniel . In 2012 in the The Bahamas Augier had placed fourth in a time of 24.33. A year later in Jamaica Daniel also placed fourth in 24.63.
Tristan Dorville .Photo courtesy of the Bolles School
That barrier has been broken by another Saint Lucian Tristan Dorville. The rising star who is training at the world renowned Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida got his 50 freestyle sprint campaign underway in style. He qualified for the final with a time of 23.84. That had him third heading into the night’s final. It was another milestone as it was the first time an EC swimmer had recorded a sub 24 seconds performance in the race.
Stefano Michell. Photo courtesy of Azura Florida Aquatics
The previous standard had been set by Antigua and Barbuda Olympian Stefano Mitchell. He had swum 24.05 at the 2017 Championships.
There would be more to come from Dorville in the final as he equalled his own 15-17 age group record of 23.70 to take the historic Bronze medal. The Silver was won by the Cayman Islands James Allison in a Pb of 23.50. The Gold was won Bahamian Marvin Johnson Jr in a season best of 22.96.
Tristan Dorville with his historic 15-17 50 metre freestyle Bronze medal. Photo courtesy of the Saint Lucia Aquatics federation
Dorville not only holds the fastest junior time in Saint Lucia but for the entire EC. He first earned the title of the EC’s fastest junior at the 2023 World Junior Championships in Israel when he clocked 23.76 . That lowered Mitchell’s junior best of 23.81.Stefano set that mark earning CCCAN 15-17 Bronze in Trinidad and Tobago. Tristan first swam 23.70 representing his nation at this year’s World Aquatic Championship in Doha.
With that accolade on his CV he can now look to becoming the fast man from his nation. He will have to challenge the 23 seconds barrier as aforementioned Augier has the national standard at 23.08 from 2015. With that important step taken look for Dorville to be among the EC stars striving for excellence this season and beyond.
Antoine Destang created history for himself, Saint Lucia and the EC (Eastern Caribbean) when he won the CARIFTA 15-17 butterfly sprint double. Before the Championships got under way in The Bahamas no male EC swimmer had ever won Gold in that stroke in the senior age group . The EC had come close through the young ladies .In 2005 in Curaçao Olympian Natasha Georgeos set the 50 metre butterfly Championship record at 30 .64 .Natasha would win the Silver in the 100 metre butterfly in 1:06.69. The Gold was won by Bahamian Olympian Alan Dillette in 1:05.67.
Antoine Destang in action for Bolles. Photo courtesy of Antoine Destang
In Curaçao last year Antoine, who is conditioned at the world renowned Bolles school had taken the 13-14 butterfly sprint double in times of 25.70 and 56.52.
This year Antoine won the Gold in the 15-17 100 metre butterfly in the fastest field ever at the regional Championships. The first 50 metres saw the Team Saint Lucia leading out the competition. Countryman and Bolles team Tristan Dorville was ahead in 25.43 with Destang second in 25.74. As the field closed he held on with a 29.55 to take the win in 55.29, a new Saint Lucian 15-17 record. He can put up his hand as the first Saint Lucian and swimmer from the EC to win this title.
CARIFTA’S FASTEST EVER 100 METRE BUTTERFLY FINAL
The next day in another pressure cooker of a race it was Destang that held his nerve in yet another historic race.The 50 metre butterfly was also the fastest ever in Championship history. It almost saw the first field where all the swimmers swam under 26 seconds.
CARIFTA’S FASTEST EVER 50 METRE BUTTERFLY FINAL
Antoine Destang. Photo courtesy of the Saint Lucia Aquatics Federation
This accomplishment should be lauded as we celebrate each step of our rising stars aquatic journey.The Eastern Caribbean continues to show how well their swimmers are performing and leading the CARIFTA region . Look for more explosive performances throughout the Championship and the rest of the season.
But she is not just good in the 50 she is an all round good breaststroker . Not just good but the among the best ever juniors in the region. On the opening day of the CARIFTA Championships yesterday in The Bahamas she was entered with a seed time of 2:49.07 in the 15-17 age group. She was 13-14 regional champion with a time of 2:49.17 in 2023. That is significant as the Eastern Caribbean best for the 15-17 was 2:52.05 by Saint Lucian Danielle Beaubrun. Her country’s 15-17 mark stood to Gabriella John from the 2016 Championships of 2:57.17. Shaw got to work in the morning heats and destroyed both marks stopping the clock in a time of 2:45.46. That gave her the accolade of being the fastest junior swimmer in Eastern Caribbean history as no other girl had ever gone under 2:50. She was already the overall national record holder with her 13-14 winning mark from 2023 .
Ellie Shaw receiving the award as the top 13-14 at the Antigua and Barbuda swimming federation awards ceremony in March. Photo courtesy of Antigua and Barbuda swimming federation
The smooth stroking Shaw also secured lane four for the medal race. What could Antigua and Barbuda,the EC (Eastern Caribbean_ region and the entire CARIFTA region expect from the rising star. Excellence! The pace of the race was dictated by hometown star and Texas Christian University Rhanishka Gibbs. The Bahamian was in control of the race until the last 65 metres when Shaw changed gears and pulled away . When she stroked powerfully and smoothly away from the field the eyes were on the clock as she ended the race as a competition . The time on the clock would read 2:39.13 !!! Gibbs won the silver in 2:49.16 and the Cayman Islands Kaitlyn Sullivan the Bronze in 2:49.70.
Ellie Shaw . Photo courtesy of the Antigua and Barbuda Swimming Federation
That is a new PB, 15-17 record , national record, EC junior best and overall EC standard. It marked the first time any EC woman had ever swum under the 2:40 barrier. It was also the first time an EC young lady had ever won the 15-17 200 metre breaststroke title. The previous EC best had stood at 2:43.21 for over decade. Beaubrun had swum that time at the Mare Nostrum European tour in 2012. The change of pace from Shaw in the heats and finals showed there is much more to come from this young star.
ANALYSIS OF RECORD SWIMS
This is also the first sub 2:40 swim for the girls at CARIFTA since 2017. That when a CARIFTA legend Albury Higgs won the last of her three senior girls title in 2:39.05. In fact this is the first time a girl from another nation outside of the Bahamas has won the title in under 2:40. Those stars include McKayla Lightbourn (Florida State University) Laura Morley (Indianna) and Albury Higgs (South Carolina)
Albury Higgs
Photo courtesy of Bahamas Aquatics
SUB 2:40 CARIFTA WINNERS
Albury ‘s Championship record of 2:35.33 also stands as the CARIFTA region junior best. So with Shaw just being in her first year look for Antigua and Barbuda’s reigning Junior Sportswoman of the year to be the not only her nation and the EC best but for the greatest junior of all time in the CARIFTA region
One of the swimmers who will be competing at the 2024 CARIFTA Championships in record breaking form will be Jamaican Brady Lewis MacPherson Lewison.
Competing in a 50 metre butterfly time trial in January for the Golden Horseshoe Aquatic Club in Canada Brady became the fastest Jamaican junior of all time . He became the first Jamaican junior ever under the 25 seconds barrier stopping the clock with a time of 24.84. It was massive time drop as his previous PB was 25.89.
Nicholas Vale
Photo courtesy of Mike C Lyn
Falling to Brady was the 2018 record set by outstanding Jamaican junior Nicholas Vale. That year competing for the Pine Crest Swim club he set the 15-17 mark and fastest Jamaican junior time of 25.41. That placed him fourth at the Florida Gold Coast Senior Long Course Championships of that year.
Zarek Wilson.Photo courtesy Alabama swimming and diving
Brady’s new record is faster than the existing CARIFTA record for the 15-17 boys. The 25 seconds barrier was broken by outstanding Trinidad and Tobago junior Zarek Wilson of Trinidad and Tobago. He set the standard of 24.95 last year in Curaçao to take the Gold. Wilson is now a standout freshman for the University of Alabama competing now at the 2024 NCAA Championships.
MacPherson Lewison, who has experience at the World Junior Championships competing last year in Israel now has 13 Jamaican junior records. He is also now the third fastest Jamaican of all time. The list is headed by Justin Plaschka 24.21 with his 2016 victory in the 18 and over category at the now defunct Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships. The record performance by Brady has him ranked number two in the 15-17 age group in Canada this season and ninth of all time in Canadian swimming history
Brady MacPherson Lewison at the 2023 World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships
Draftingthecaribbean got the chance to get Brady’s improvement of the Jamaican junior standard
“I have always been more of a backstroker, but I started doing more fly in practice and am really having fun with it. I was thrilled with my time. I want to thank my coach, Grey Fairly and my parents for their dedication to me and my journey to this point in my career. None of this is done alone and is not possible without the support around me”.
The best medal by Jamaican in this event in the 15-17 age group was by the junior star Brad Hamilton who took Silver in front of a home crowd in 2007. The fastest time a Jamaican at CARIFTA in 25.71 by Sidrell Williams in taking CARIFTA Bronze in Aruba ten years ago. Brady is seeded number one but will be challenged by the likes of rising regional stars countryman Nelson Denny, Bermudan Elijah Daley, Trinidad and Tobago star Darren Belfon, hometown star “Marvelous Marvin Johnson Jr” and the expected firepower from the Eastern Caribbean Antigua and Barbuda’s Tivon Benjamin and Bolles Saint Lucian duo of Antoine Destang and Tristan Dorville.
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