Swimming fans in the CARIFTA region got a chance to see rising Venezuelan star Emil Perez at CCCAN in Barbados when he put on a record breaking performance in the 50 metre butterfly.
Elvis Burrows
Photo courtesy of
insiderlouisville.com
Competing in the 15-17 age group ,he lowered the record twice. In the heats, he took the down the 2007 standard of 24.97 set by Bahamian Olympian Elvis Burrows to 24.89. In the final he was the only sub 25 seconds performer clocking yet another record swim of 24.87.
Yesterday on the second day at the South American Games in Asunción, Paraguay he navigated the senior international waters well to make the 50 metre butterfly final. He posted a time of 24.70 to place second in his heat and eighth overall.
In the final he put in a strong performance to tie for the Bronze in a time of 24.29. Perez was the youngest athlete in the podium party at age 18. He shared the Bronze with 20 year old Colombian Camilo Montano. Silver was won by 29 year old Robert Strelkov of Argentina in 24.19. The winner was 26 year old Gabriel Santos of Brazil in 24.00.
Emil Perez
The calendar year 2022 has been very successful for the Altamira Tennis club conditioned swimmer in this race . At the South American Youth Games held from April 28 to May 8 in Rosario Argentina he won the 50 metre butterfly Silver in 24.84. He now owns medals at the senior and junior versions of this meet.
Competing at the highest age group level competition, the World Junior Swimming Championships in Peru ,he made his first global final. He would record his personal best in the semi finals of 24.15. In that world final he placed seventh in a time of 24.60.That was a historic swim for his nation. The best performance in the race at the the World Juniors had been in the first edition in Rio de Janeiro ,Brazil. There Gabriel Huen had placed 14th overall in a time of 26.02.It was also the fastest by a boy from Venezuela . The swiftest performance was recorded in 2013 in the United Arab Emirates. Miguel Venegas had clocked a time of 25.16.
Emil. Photo courtesy of Emil Perez
Perez, who is coached by Julio Berris, has committed to attend Virginia Tech.There he will have head Coach Sergio Lopez and countryman assistant coach Albert Subirats for technical guidance . Both men know about elite sprint butterfly. Coach Lopez developed and coached 2016 Singaporean Olympic Gold medallist Joseph Schooling.
Albert Subirats .Photo courtesy of swimmingworld
Subirats still holds both 50 metre butterfly records. Since 2009 the long course record has belonged to him at 23.05 . A year later he won the 2010 World Short Championships Gold in the 50 metre butterfly in still standing national record of 22.40 .
Emil .Photo courtesy of Emil Perez
With this type of guidance look for more fast 50 butterfly races from Perez in the years to come.
There is a new Golden age in Cayman Islands swimming as the records continue to be re written frequently. One of the swimmers leading this resurgence is Jillian Crooks who has taken down the 200 metre freestyle national record twice.
Lauren Hew reacts to setting a new school record 50 yard freestyle at the 2017 Palm Beach County Championships
Photo courtesy of Saint Andrews Aquatics
The old standard was 2:05.98 (split 1:00.71) held by Lauren Hew . She had set the mark in a Gold medal winning performance at the 2017 CARIFTA Championships in The Bahamas.
Crooks lowered that standard at the same venue, the Betty Kelly-Kenning Aquatic Centre at the 2022 Bahamas Nationals.She recorded the fastest overall time of the competition stopping the clock in a time of 2:05.32 (split time 1:00.24).
Coach Andre Bailey
There would be a faster time and a movement to the all time best in the 15-17 age category competing at the 2022 Futures Championships in Cary North Carolina for Jamaican Coach Andre Bailey TS Aquatics. Competing in the C final of the event she put on the fastest last 50 metres of 30.85 to crush the old national record and post 2:03.67 for second place. First went to Lillian Nesty of Gator Swim Club in 2:03.17. If the winner’s name is familiar it is because she is the daughter of Surinamese Olympic Gold medallist Anthony Nesty. With that major time drop Jillian is now knocking on the door of the all time top four in 15-17 CARIFTA region history.
Coralie Balmy
Photo courtesy of Coralie Balmy COMPARISON OF AVAILABLE SPLITSBalmy being more distance oriented had the better back half
Janelle Atkinson.Photo courtesy of Janelle Atkinson
LEADER OF THE PACK
Competing at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg future Olympian created Jamaican and CARIFTA region history by winning Silver the event as well as the 400 (4:10.83) and 800 metre freestyle (8:39.51). To date she is the only female medallist in those at the multi- event Championships.
GREAT RELAY IMPLICATIONS
Over the years the Cayman Islands has been known for their strong middle distance strength. This great time movement by Crooks can allow her nation to strategize for making the finals at the Central American and Caribbean Games and Pan American Games. At the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games Team Venezuela was fourth in 8:22.92. At the 2019 Pan American Games Team Peru was seventh in 8:27.16. Team Cayman set a new CARIFTA record earlier this year of 8:42.17 but as seen by the addition of the best times by their current swimmers they are far better than that record.
The future looks bright for 2023 and the Olympic Games in 2024 with a good technical plan for relay development.
The team assembled in Puerto Rico is best living up to the Jamaican saying “Likkle but tallawah” (we may be little but we are strong and can do any thing). Only nine swimmers strong they were leading by a historic senior national record swim by one of the senior swimmers on the team , Kito Campbell. Campbell swam to a new Jamaican record in the 100 metre breaststroke in the 15-17 records. He was joined in making history for the island by Gold medal winners in the 50 metre butterfly Kaheem Lozer and Nelson Denny.
Kito Campbell 2021 Boys Champ Pole Vault Champions
Campbell exuded confidence while competing for his high school Calabar at the Boys and Girls Championships in May when he won the pole vault in 3.90. The Champs record is held by another national swimmer Xavier Boland at 4.46 His words when analyzing that performance by journalists was ” At Calabar we don’t fear heights we clear heights”. He has taken that fearless attitude to another level while donning the national colours in San Juan.
Xavier Boland flying
Competing in the 15-17 100 metre breaststroke heats Campbell continued to soar to new heights as he not only set a new personal best, 15-17 age group record but a senior national record with a swim of 1:06.78 (split time 30.71). Records falling by the wayside was Campbell’s personal best of 1:08.56 and the 15-17 and senior national record of 1:07.30 set by Brad Hamilton. Brad was a special talent for Jamaica at the age group level and set that mark in winning Gold in the 15-17 age group more than decade ago at CARIFTA 2007 in front of a home crowd.
Brad Hamilton
Photo courtesy of swimming world
There would be more to come in the final as Kito took it easier in the first 50 metres in 31.55 before coming home in 35.13 for yet another new personal best, 15-17 age group record and senior national record of 1:06.68.The swim by Campbell registered his first PAN AM Jrs B standard as he bettered the time requirement of 1:06.93
It was yet another historic moment as when Boland won the pole vault in 2012 in 4.20 m he went on to make a regional age group final CARIFTA in the 50 metre breaststroke and placed eighth in 32.59. Campbell has surpassed that by his medal and record breaking performance. There was more history in the race as Haiti set their first Championship record as Alexandre Grand ‘Pierre won Gold in a time of 1:03.72 with Puerto Rico’s Ryan Tirado taking the Bronze in 1:07.15.
Earlier Campbell won his first medal at the CCCAN Championships when he took Bronze in the 50 metre butterfly. He had another massive personal best . He came to Puerto Rico with a time of 26.38 moved it to 26.07 and then dropped more time to win the Bronze in 25.72.
His teammate and yet another rising star Kaheem Lozer made his intentions clear from the morning races when he blazed to a time of 25.49 to claim the number one seed. His old personal best stood at 25.70. How good was Kaheem’s swim ? Only the age group national record Nicholas Vale has been faster with his time of 25.41, set almost a decade in 2012.In the final he was just off that time to get the Gold in a time 25.49. The Gold takes on greater significance as it is the first time Jamaica has ever won Gold in this event in the 15-17 age group. Silver was won by Puerto Rico’s Derrick Correa in 25.49
Jamaica also made strides in the 13-14 boys 50 metre butterfly through the efforts of Nelson Denny. He came to the Puerto Rican capital with a best of 28.04. he crushed that to claim lane four with brand new personal standard of 26.31. That time brought him tantalizingly close to the age group record of 26.22 held by Olympian Timothy Wynter set in 2011.He would maintain that position to claim victory in 26.46, a first win for Jamaica in that age group.
Dylan Carter at the 2013 CARIFTA swimming championships
Photo courtesy of Michael C Lyn
The best finishes for the country had been Bronze. Nathaniel Thomas with his 2018 of 26.59 and Wynter who set the age group mark of 26.22. In that race Silver was won Aruban standout Jordy Groters in 26.15 and Olympian Dylan Carter of Trinidad and Tobago who won in a still standing record of 25.35.
In the 13-14 age group Christanya Shirley and Gianni Francis set personal bests to win Silver and Bronze in the 50 metre butterfly. Gold went to Elizabeth Jimenez of the Dominican Republic in 28.74. They recorded times of 29.52 and 29.73 respectively.
Waldon McIntosh brought Jamaica more glory when he won Silver in the 11-12 boys 100 metre breaststroke in 1:19.58. The victor in the event was Kabchi Gamal of Venezuela in 1:12.92.There were 23 new personal bests set by Team Jamaica on Day Two
Young Venezuelan swimmer Jorge Eliezer Otazia Hernandez has continued his excellent run of form with a number of eye catching national butterfly record swims at the Turkish Youth and Senior selection Championship. The latest of which was the lowering of the 16-18 national record .
The Fenerbahçe Sport Club conditioned athlete bettered the mark of 2:01.24 set by legendary Olympic medallist Rafael Vidal .He did that on May 30 in Turkey with a Silver medal winning effort of 2:00.71.
Rafael Vidal in 1982.Photo courtesy of Eldiario
Vidal had set that mark at the 1982 World Championships in Guayaquil , Ecuador. He had swum 2:02.02 to be a mere three hundredths outside of make the Championship Final. In the B final he touched in 2:01.24 to beat Australian Paul Rowe 2:01.83. for the win. Two years later he would make history to become Venezuela’s first Olympic medallist at the 1984 Olympics. He won Bronze in a time of 1:57.41, a new national and Americas record. Silver was won by Germany Michael Gross in 1:57.40 and the Gold to Australian Jon Sieben in a World Record in 1:57.04.
1984 Los Angeles Olympics
200 metre butterfly medallists
from left to right Jon Sieben Australia Gold medallist, Michael Gross Germany silver medallist and Bronze medallist Vidal.
Photo courtesy of Swimming Australia
Hernandez is on a fantastic path of excellence . That swim only capped great week he was having. On the 29th of May he broke the 50 metre butterfly record to win Gold. He touched in a time of 24.42. That performance broke the 2003 record of 24.59 set by Olympian Octavio Alesi.
Octavio Alesi . Photo courtesy of Mi Ruta Sport
The 27th of May saw him taking the 100 metre butterfly record below 53 seconds. He broke his own national standard of 53.14 to register a Gold medal winning time of 52.82.
His trajectory looks great when it is compared for the various competitions scheduled to be held from now until the end of 2022
Jorge Hernandez
NR swims
PAN AM Juniors A time
World Champs B
50 metre butterfly
24.42
N/A
24.46
100 metre butterfly
52.82
54.54
53.78
200 metre butterfly
2:00.71
2:02.35
2:00.79
Jorge Hernandez
NR swims
World Champs A
Olympics B
Olympics A
50 metre butterfly
24.42
23.63
N/A
N/A
100 metre butterfly
52.82
51.96
53.52
51.96
200 metre butterfly
2:00.71
1:56.71
1:59.97
1:56.48
Jorge Hernandez
Keep your eye on Hernandez for faster times and inclusion on national medley relay teams in the future at the senior level.
When one thinks of elite male swimmers from the Cayman Islands the legendary Fraser brothers Olympians Shaune and Brett have to be named. At last weekend’s UANA Olympic qualifier in Clermont Florida Jordan Crooks has entered the conversation with a national record and personal bests only bettered by the aforementioned iconic siblings. In fact every race he swam was a new personal best.
NATIONAL RECORD
Jordan Crooks .Photo courtesy of Danielle Joyce
From the moment the meet the started Jordan was on a mission and he was ticking off milestones for every race. In the 50 metre backstroke, a race he had not contested since the 2019 CARIFTA Championships in Barbados he was to create history for himself and the Cayman Islands. In Barbados he had won the Bronze medal in a time of 27.81. That medal winning performance was just off the national record of 27.79 set by Brett Fraser. Fraser had set that national mark at the 2007 CARIFTA Championships over a decade ago . He took the Gold medal in Kingston Jamaica with a decisive victory margin of over a second. Brett would crush that mark and become the first Cayman swimmer under 27seconds when he stopped the clock in 26.94. That time placed him eighth overall.
Gold went to 2019 World Junior Championship medallist Adam Chaney of the University of Florida in 26.10. Silver went to Puerto Rican national record Yeziel Morales of Azura Florida Aquatic in 26.13. The Bronze was won by Mexican Diego Camacho Salgado of the Olympus Swim Team in 26.26.
Earlier in the meet there was a demolition of his personal best in the 50 metre butterfly. Jordan had personal best of 27.18. He scorched that to record 24.80 and place ninth overall. The 18 year old was the youngest swimmer in the top ten .He is now the third fastest performer in the event behind the Fraser brothers
Name
Time
Age
Date
Meet
Brett Fraser
23.66
24
July 24,2014
Commonwealth Games
Shaune Fraser
24.35
21
July 26,2009
World Champs
In his opening salvo in the Olympic sized pool he can look at targeting the World Championship B time of 24.46 in this race. That time standard serves as the qualifying mark for the 2021 World Short Course Championships in the United Arab Emirates at the end of the year as well at the Long course edition in Fukuoka , Japan in May 2022.
The race was won by Mexican Jorge Iga Cesar in a new national record of 24.00.
The very next day there would be a major time drop in the 200 metre freestyle . He had recorded his best at the 2019 World Championships in Korea of 1:56.33. In the heats he destroyed that to record 1:53.15. The final saw him moving to yet another level touching in 1:52.34 in the championship final. How good is that you may ask . No other Cayman islands swimmer has swum that fast outside of the Fraser brothers ever . He quickly closing in on the PAN AM Juniors A standard of 1:51.30.
Also that is the fastest time swum by a Cayman islands swimmer since Brett set the his personal record of 1:47.01 at the London 2012 Olympic semi finals.
Shaune Fraser
SHAUNE THE CARIBBEAN CONQUEROR
Shaune Fraser set the national record of 1:46.44 during the semi finals of the 2009 World Championships in Rome to place 10th. That time represents the fastest time ever done by swimmer from the Caribbean and the best performance by a Caribbean man at the World Championships.
200 METRE FREESTYLE PROGRESSION
200 metre freestyle
UANA final
UANA heats
2019 world Champs
First 50
26.54
26.14
26.35
Second 50
28.81
28.85
29.22
Third 50
28.82
29.37
30.08
Fourth 50
28.17
28.79
30.68
Total time
1:52.34
1:53.15
1:56.33
The race was won by by Jordanian Khader Baqlah in a time of 1:48.10 . Silver went to defending Central American and Caribbean Games Champion Mexican Jorge Andres Iga Cesar in 1:48.40 and the Bronze to Venezuela’s Alfonso Mestre in 1:49.84.
Brett Fraser
SIZZLING 50 FREESTYLE
The year 2020 should have seen the first time a swimmer break the 23 seconds barrier . The pandemic dashed that opportunity but the CARIFTA swimmers still put on a show in Clermont Florida. Having record 23 seconds swim six times prior to UANA he would record his fastest time of 23.30 to make yet another another quality Championship final . In the final he did as the scoreboard read 22.97. The 2019 CARIFTA Silver medallist was joined in the elite realm by the Bronze medallist Lamar Taylor of The Bahamas who touched just ahead in 22.95. The swim now makes Jordan the second fastest performer in Cayman swimming history as he betters the 23.01 set by Shaune Fraser in 2012 at the 2012 Southern Zone Sectional. The number one spot and national record is held by Brett with his 2011 blast of 22.41 in Minneapolis at the Pro Swim meet. It is faster than the PAN AM junior time of 23.01 and just under the World Championship B cut of 22.96.
The race was won by Mexican National record holder Gabriel Castaño in 22.21 .Silver was won by Slovakian Matej Dusa in a new national record of 22.65 and the Bronze by Venezuelan Alberto Mestre in 22.65.
In the 100 metre butterfly he dropped two seconds from his last 50 metre outing at the 2020 Karl Dalhouse swim meet in Kingston Jamaica.
100 metre butterfly
UANA final
UANA heats
2020 Karl Dalhouse
First 50
25.99
26.08
26.99
Second 50
29.55
29.80
30.77
Total time
55.54
55.88
57.76
He placed third in the B final .His swim is the fastest a Cayman Islands swimmer has registered since Shaune Fraser swam 55.43 in May 2012 in Santa Clara in the buildup to the London 2012 Olympics. He is now less than a second away from the A standard of 54.54 for the PAN AM juniors to be held in Cali Colombia.
That race was won by University of Florida’s Kiernan Smith who won in 54.26.Smith is the fastest ever swimmer in the 500 yard yard freestyle and has won the last two NCAA titles in that race.
The 100 metre freestyle sprint Jordan dropping a second
100 metre freestyle
UANA final
UANA heats
TYR Pro swim Knoxville
First 50
24.05
24.11
24.77
Second 50
26.20
26.18
26.64
Total time
50.25
50.29
51.41
That race saw him with his highest placing of fourth. He is easily under the PAN AM Games A standard of 50.55. Jordan is also under the World Championships B standard of 50.48. Jordan is the clear third best performer of all time in the event.
Once again the legendary siblings Shaune Fraser 478.47 from the 2009 World Championships and Brett from the 48.54 from his swim at the London 2012 Olympic Games are the leaders.
The race was won by the Mexican Iga Cesar in 49.61 . Silver to Mestre in 49.98 and the Bronze to Andres Dupont Cabrera of Mexico and the Bolles Sharks in 50.04.
Jordan Crooks. Photo courtesy of Danielle Joyce
Draftingthecaribbeanspoke to the talented swimmer and he spoke about racing elite international and swimmers and if he feels intimidated
“I don’t feel intimidated any more .I use them as targets to chase”.
He also shared what his aim for the meet was
“My goal for the meet was to get all personal best in all my events. Breaking the 23 seconds barrier in the the 50 free was a big goal of mine”
Jordan also elaborated on what he will need to be sub 50 for the 100 metre freestyle
“I need to have stronger back end on my 100 to break the 50 second mark”.
For Cayman swimming the future is here. Jordan has taken on the elite and responded with quality times and is hungry for faster standards. Undeterred by names or high pressure situations his time is now and he is making the most of every opportunity. The fearless 18 year old will get be getting more racing opportunities this September as he heads to the NCAA Division I where he will representing the University of Tennessee, the alma mater of Trinidad and Tobago sprint record holder Cherelle Thompson.
On Saturday May 1, at the UANA Olympic qualifier in Clermont Florida Bahamian Lamar Taylor of the Mako Aquatics Club broke the 23 seconds barrier for the first . He completed the 50 metre freestyle race in 22.95 to finish sixth. The race was won by Mexican National record holder Gabriel Castaño in 22.21 .Silver was won by Slovakian Matej Dusa in a new national record of 22.65 and the Bronze by Venezuelan Alberto Mestre in 22.65. The swim by Taylor is of major significance for Bahamian and Caribbean swimming.
Elvis Burrows
Photo courtesy of
insiderlouisville.com
He is the the third fastest swimmer ever from the The Bahamas . Only two other swimmers have breached the 23 seconds barrier. Olympian Allan Murray (Barcelona 1992,Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000) did it at the Atlanta Games twice . Setting the then national record of 22.75 in the heats. That ensured him a berth in the B final where he placed fourth in 22.92. That swim marked the first time The Bahamas had a swimmer in an Olympic final. The national record was set by Olympian Elvis Burrows (Beijing 2008) with his 22.39 blast from the 2009 Rome World Championships.
Lamar is the youngest ever to swim that fast as Murray was 24 in 1996 when swam sub 23 and Burrows was 20. Lamar is 17.
Taylor’s Championship swim also marks the first time a Bahamian has done 22 seconds in over five years . Burrows swam 22.86 in November 2015 when he placed seventh in the Championship final at the 2015 Pro Swim Series in Minneapolis.
Kenzo Simons
The only Caribbean swimmer faster than Taylor at a younger age is Kenzo Simons of Suriname now representing the Netherlands was 16years 11months 27 days when he swam to a time of he blazed to a time of 22.91 at Swim Cup in The Hague.
Lamar the ” Cool Ruler” gave his reaction to seeing 22 seconds and how being relaxed helped him to achieve the historic swim
“My emotions when I saw 22 seconds was surprise and shock. Honestly it was a surprise and I was happy and excited. That has been a goal of mine for a while now and to see that I went 22 with barely any training done it says a lot. If I trained properly for this meet I could have gone faster. The meet was an opportunity for me to see my friends and relax and have fun. That is exactly what I did . Relaxed and surprisingly came with some fast times”.
Swimming fast and being relaxed has always been the hallmark of fast times put on scoreboards. Taylor, the 2019 CARIFTA 50 metre freestyle Bronze medallist who was denied the opportunity of going sub 23 seconds at CARIFTA 2020 due to the pandemic did not have to relish the moment alone. This as the CARIFTA Silver medallist in the event Jordan Crooks of the Cayman Islands has joined the elite club
INITIAL SUB 23 SECONDS SWIMS BY CARIBBEAN SWIMMERS 21 YEARS AND YOUNGER
Dylan Carter
Trinidad and Tobago
Dylan Carter
18
22.65
Suriname
Renzo Tjon A joe
18
22.75
Jamaica
Justin Plaschka
18
22.90
Cayman Islands
Jordan Crooks
18
22.97
France/Martinique
Julien Sicot
19
22.74
Cayman Islands
Brett Fraser
19
22.80
Aruba
Mikel Schreuders
19
22.89
The Bahamas
Elvis Burrows
20
22.39
Dominican Republic
Jacinto Ayala
21
22.57
Trinidad and Tobago
George Bovell III
21
22.89
France/French Guiana
Mehdy Metella
21
22.94
Cuban National record holder in the 50 metre freestyle Hanser Garcia who switched from water polo to swimming also bettered the 23 seconds landmark as a 19 year old.His Countryman who he surpassed as the Cuban standard bearer in the event Marcos Antonio Hernández Rodríguez has times under 23 seconds as a 21 year old.
The Henderson State Freshman made a statement in the college season as well as he broke the 20 seconds barrier in the 50 yard freestyle. Again only the Olympians Allan Murray and Elvis Burrows who have personal bests faster than his .
Allan Murray. Photo courtesy of macfit360.com/west/aquatics/
ALL TIME BAHAMIAN PERFORMERS IN THE 50 YARD FREESTYLE
Name
Time
Year
Allan Murray
19.57
1993
Elvis Burrows
19.83
2008
Lamar Taylor
19.86
2021
Izaak Bastian
19.93
2019
Chris Murray
19.97
2000
As he said it was being relaxed that helped to swim so well as seen when his results are compared with his best times
Event
PB
UANA
50 metre butterfly
25.18
25.45
100 metre freestyle
51.99
52.16
50 metre backstroke
26.66
27.11
CAN WE SPEAK ABOUT THE 100 METRE BACKSTROKE
Taylor and Carey at the 2021 NCAA Division II Champs
When countryman DaVante Carey broke the national record and did 57.73 in the heats before lowering it to 57.03 it would be mere hours that Taylor joined him in that new realm for The Bahamas. Lamar, who boasted a time of 59.13 set at the UANA Cup in Lima Peru in 2020 flew past 58 seconds to record 57.87 and place fifth in the B final.
COMPARISON OF PERSONAL BESTS
100 metre backstroke
2020
2021
First 50
28.95
27.98
Second 50
30.18
29.89
Total Time
59.13
57.87
Lamar Taylor at the 2019 World Junior championships .Photo courtesy of Drew Bastian
What does this mean for The Bahamas ? They have a strong cadre of male swimmers in University and in high school who are recording elite level times or on the cusp of that standards. Lamar with his first long course meet makes an impressive case for his nation to have larger teams at international competitions. There is also should be a renewed focus on relays and a long term plan for their development to be at their very best when competing for Team Bahamas.
Delfina Pignatiello .Photo courtesy of Yahoo sports
The competition got underway in Buenos Aires with the first medal event going to rising star Argentine Delfina Pignatiello. The hometown princess got her third international Gold medal in senior waters when she took the 800 metre freestyle crown in very exciting race Kristel Kobrich of Chile. proved a spirited challenge in a very close race . Kobrich stuck doggedly with Delfina from the start taking the at the 600 metre mark and seemed to be pulling away from the young star. It was on the last 50 metres where Pignatiello erased a deficit of almost a second with a split of 30.45 to take the win and her first South American title by the slimmest of margins 8:34.10 to 8:34.11. For Delfina this mars another positive foray with the seniors she won the 2019 PAN AM Games title in Peru in 8:29.42 and won the 2018 edition of these Championships in 8:41.86. She also holds the overall South American record in the event of 8:24.33 set at the Mare Nostrum meet in France in 2019.
Kristel Kobrich
Kobrich adds to her collection that includes a Silver from 2014 when she covered the course in 8:38.15.
There was more for the home crowd to cheer about as Delfina Dini won the Bronze in 8:44.92. In 2018 Dini had won the Silver in 8:47.60 All the ladies on the podium finished under the Olympic B time of 8:48.76.
Andreina Pinto
The Games record is held by by Venezuela’s Andreina Pinto in 8:32.10 from the 2016 edition.
On October 24 Venezuelan Cristian Quintero became the first swimmer from his country to compete in International Swimming league when he made his debut for the Tokyo Frog Kings. He made this historic moment even more memorable by lowering the national record in the 100 metre freestyle of Francisco Sanchez, a national ,regional and international legend.
In the four lap freestyle race Cristian stroked his way to a new personal best and national record of 47.68. to place sixth.This bettered the record that stood for almost quarter of a century. The old record stood at 47.86 when Sanchez powered his way to World Championship Gold at the 1997 edition.
Francisco Sanchez celebrating his World Champs Gold .Photo courtesy of the Venezuelan Olympic Committee
April 19,1997
October 25,2020
100 freestyle
Sanchez
Quintero
First 50
22.75
22.74
Second 50
25.10
24.94
Final
47.85
47.68
Cristian was able to take it home faster with his 200 and 400 metre freestyle background. Cristian now owns all the short course metre freestyle records from the 50 to 400 for his home country.
50 metre freestyle
21.65
December 4,2014
100 metre freestyle
47.68
October 25,2020
200 metre freestyle
1:42.40
December 3,2014
400 metre freestyle
3:41.67
December 5,2014
Sanchez was an absolute sensation at the World Short Course Swimming Championships.
1995
50 free WSC
21.80
Gold
1997
50 free WSC
21.80
Gold
1995
100 free WSC
48.46
Bronze
1997
100 free WSC
47.86
Gold
When he took the Gold in 1997 he was the only one under the 48 seconds barrier. He also dismissed a star studded field that included Brazilian legend Gustavo Borges 48.16 who had captured the 200 frestyle world title, Australian Michael Klim who would be a future world record holder in the long course version of the event 48.21,and future Olympic champion in the 100 metre butterfly from Sweden Lars Frolander 48.24.
Sanchez celebrating qualifying for the Olympic final in the 50 metres at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics
The year before at the 1996 Summer Olympics he made the A finals in both the 50 and 100 metre freestyle, a featthat has not yet been emulated by his countrymen.
Sanchez at the 2018 Arizona State University Hall of Fame inductionceremony.Photo courtesy of University of Arizona Sports
He would be inducted in the Hall of Fame by his alma mater Arizona State University.The school is now coached by Michael Phelps’ coach Bob Bowman. He is one of the school’s NCAA champion having won the 50 yuard freestyle crown in 1996 with a time of 19.35. He is still the school record holder in the event with a time of 19.32
Quintero, who is building quite a legacy for himself also recorded times of 3:46.30 for 7th in the 400 metre freestyle,1;43.66 placing 5th in the 200 metre freestyle and and anchored the Frog Kings to fourth overall in 47.30. He split 47.30 doing his last leg duties.
Draftingthecaribbean got a chance to Quintero and speak to him about the ISL as well as record breaking achievement. He told us first how he got to participate in the ISL
“I got into the Tokyo Frog Kings as replacement for Olympic gold medallist Mack Horton. After most of the Australians were forced to retire out of the meet by their government, Team Manager Togo Nagai and General Manager Kosuke Kitajima ( 100 and 200 metre breaststroke Gold medallist Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008)invited me to be part of their team. This obviously was a great opportunity for me, so I immediately accepted their proposal”.
Kosuke Kitajima clebrating Gold at the 2004 Olympics.Photo courtesy of abc
Cristian described training with the team
“Training with the Frog Kings has been incredibly fun and challenging at the same time. Under the instructions of Technical Director Dave Salo, practices usually start with a couple of sets of very detailed fast work. After that we split into different groups. Coach Salo takes on the short sprint group, while I train with the middle sprint group under renowned Japanese coach Yoji Suzuki. Under Yoji-sensei, I’ve done more IM work in a couple of days than I’ve done in the entire year, which is a big challenge for me. However, training next to teammates like and Katsushiro Matsumoto makes practice incredibly exciting and competitive”.
Insight was also provided about bubble life
Life in bubble has been exactly what I expected. We spend most of the day either inside our rooms, or at the pool. Some days we get to go the gym or even go on small walks around Margaret Island which is incredibly beautiful and relaxing. However, most of the time it really is inside our rooms. It can be a little boring sometimes, but a couple of books and a lot of chat with my family keeps me entertained most of the time. Futhermore, there are a lot of rules and regulations inside the bubble that we must follow, like wearing a face mask most of the time outside our rooms, regular PCR tests, body temperature checks every time we go into a building, and so more. These are medical procedures that are meant to keep us, and everyone around us, safe; so following them it’s no problem at all.
Cristian who is an individual NCAA Champion having the 2015 200 yard freestyle crown spoke about his new national record
Cristian celebrating NCAA Gold.Photo courtesy of LATimes
“I was not aware of the record neither before nor after the race. I learned about it yesterday, almost a full day after the race haha. Before the race, my main focus was to secure some points for my team. I knew it was going to be extremely difficult to be on the top of that race, so my focus was to remain as close as possible to the field and avoid getting my points stolen”.
He also paid tribute to Sanchez iconic status in the swimming community
“Most Venezuelan swimmers know, or at least have heard, of Francisco (El Tiburón) Sánchez. Along with Rafael Vidal and Alberto Mestre, he is one of the most prominent figures in Venezuelan swimming”.
Quintero also spoke about his long layoff and relishing the opportunity to compete
“My last competitions were the U.S. Open in Atlanta and Spain’s Cup in Madrid, both on December 2019. So it’s really fun and exciting to be able to race again after 10 challenging months”.
Cristian is in action this weekend and is expected to drop more time as the ISL continues.
The fans at the Aquatic Centre in Wildey, St Michael Barbados were on hand to witness a lightning quick national record performance in the 15 and over 100 metre backstroke by Jack Kirby. The occasion was the 28th Aquatic Centre International Invitational Swim Meet.
Jack Kirby
Photo courtesy of Pirates Swim Club Barbados
Before second day of the competition on May 25 the fastest a Barbadian swimmer had ever navigated the two back stroke race was 56.19 . That mark was set by Kirby in a fifth place finish in the Championship final at the 2018 CAC (Central American and Caribbean Games)in Barranquilla Colombia. But this is new year with new standards to be achieved and Jack certainly did that .
When the starter’s gun sounded two swimmers separated themselves from the field with their excellent underwater work Kirby of the Pirates Swim club and Nicky Neckles Olympian (1996 Atlanta, 2000 Sydney and Athens and CAC 100 metre backstroke medallist (Bronze 2002,Gold 2006,Silver 2010).
Barbados Backstroke Stars
Jack Kirby and Olympian Nicky Neckles
Photo courtesy of Pirates Swim Club
Jack gained the ascendancy and pushed his way to the lead with a split of 27.77. Kirby’s underwater work was almost as good if not better than the start . He used that to gain a sizeable lead and all eyes were now on the clock. He did not disappoint with a final 50 metres timed at 28.03 which helped to a total time of 55.80.
There was a change of tactics for this record swim as he went out more conservatively to bring it home faster. As evidenced by his splits in 2018 which were 26.77 and 29.42
The first swimmer under 56 seconds in the event in Barbados lowering the meet and open record of 56.76 set by Venezuela’s Luis Rojas in 2012. Second went to Neckles of Flying Fish Masters in 1:01.29 and Bronze to Nkosi Dunwoody of Alpha Swim club in 1:07.37.
Draftingthecaribbean spoke to Kirby about his achievements and he gave us the following thoughts.He first spoke about why the race was special
” The race was special because I was able to achieve my goal at home in front of my friends and family”.
He also spoke about the training behind his great underwater work
” For the underwaters, I practice them everyday in warm up. We always have these 8 50s and as I go through them, I do 4 kicks off the turn for 3 50s, 6 kicks off the turn for 3 50s, and 8 kicks off the turn for the last two. The goal is to work on going far with those kicks. So by time I get to the 8 kicks, I break out at 15 metre mark. In the race, I do 8 kicks off the turn, hoping to get to the 15 metre mark”.
He also told draftingthecaribbean about his mindset before the race
” I kept my thoughts pretty relaxed before the 100 back. I planned to go after it the same way I always do. Back half it because I’m pretty good with easy speed, so I had to trust my wall and back end speed”.
His new personal best and national record also moves him past Jamaican record holder Olympian Timothy Wynter, a recent USC (University of Southern California) graduate on the best all time English speaking CARIFTA region list. That list is headed by another USC graduate Trinidad and Tobago Olympian Dylan Carter.Jack now holds two of the three senior national backstroke records to include the 50 metre backstroke at 26.07. The last remaining record he does not own is the 200 . That mark was set by Neckles in 2006 in a time of 2:00.85.
CARIFTA backstrokers at USC
from left to right Carter,Kirby and Wynter
Photo courtesy of swimmingworld
In another wonderful night of swimming by the CARIFTA region at the 23rd CAC (Central American and Caribbean) CAC)Games at the Eduardo Movilla Aquatic Complex in Colombia, it was Team Trinidad and Tobago that lead the medal performance with Gold and Bronze by Dylan Carter in the 50 metre backstroke and a Bronze medal won by the 400 metre freestyle relay team .
The fourth day of action got under way on a good note in the heats with David McLeod returning a personal best in the 50 metre backstroke heats with a time of 25.85 to place third . It was also for that time the fastest swim ever by a Team TTO member at the CAC Games The meet record was broken by 2014 Silver medallist Venezuela’s Robinson Molina who topped the heat with a time of 25.21. That would not last very long as those record would fall to Carter who record a new PB, national record , and Games record of 25.01. The old national record had stood to Olympic Gold medallist George Bovell III set almost exactly 4 years ago at 25.39.It also stood as the fastest time ever from the CARIFTA region. Carter’s heat swim was also the 17th fastest time in the World this year. With Carter a clear favourite the question now was would Team TTO be able to get two swimmers as they had done in the 50 metre butterfly With past Champions and medallists such Colombia’s Omar Pinzon and Molina set to contest the medal race.
Team TTO 50 metre backstroke medallists Carter and McLeodwith the parents of Dylan Carter Photo courtesy of 96.1 WEFM
In the Championship final it was a matter of question asked and emphatically answered. Carter would take the Gold in a another new PB, NR and Games record of 24.83, the first man under 25 seconds at the CAC Games and also the 10th fastest time in the world this year . It obviously qualified him for the 2018 Hangzhou World Short Course Swimming championships and 2019 Gwangju World Championships as the A standard is 25.17 Silver went Molina in 25.25 and the Bronze to McLeod in a personal best of 25.55 with 2010 Champion Pinzón placing fourth in 25.71. It is a big improvement for David as he placed seventh in Veracruz Mexico with a time of 26.87.
See video by TEAM TTO
With the Gold and Bronze in the race Team TTO have a complete set of medals with Bovell’s Silver in 2010 (26.08) and Bronze in 2014 (25.91) and have begun work on a another set. It is also first time Team TTO has placed two persons on the podium and second CARIFTA region victory with Olympian Nicky Neckles winning the first Gold in 2006 (26.44). Team TTO has won a medal at every edition of the Games as Barbados Olympian Nicholas Bovell won Bronze in 2006 (26.82).
The 400 metre freestyle relay team easily qualified for the final with a time of 3:27.77. With the lineup of swimmers assembled in Barranquilla it would always be a question of how much the national record of 3:25.73 set at the 2010 edition of the Games would be lowered by and if it could get them a podium place.
The final had them using Carter on the opening leg to give them a lead and keep them in medal contention . The strategy worked as the splits of Carter 48.79 , Jabari Baptiste 51.74, McLeod 51.44 and Joshua Romany’s anchor leg of 50.86 sealed the Bronze with an overall time of 3:22.83. Dylan’s opening leg also lowered his 100 metre freestyle Games record set on the opening day and ranks him 14th in the world
100 FREESTYLE GAMES RECORD PROGRESSION
Date
July 20
July 24
First 50 metres
23.29
23.02
Second 50 metres
25.66
25.77
Final Time
48.95
48.79
Silver went to Venezuela in 3:20.43 and the Gold to Mexico in 3:18.60, Games record.
See video of race by Team TTO
Team TTO is the only CARIFTA region team to medal in this relay. This follows on Silver medal winning performances of the 1986 team of Mark Andrews, Rhett Chee Ping,Bruce Kaufmann and Andre Dieffenthaller (3:33.08) and the 2010 team of George Bovell III, Caryle Blondell, Joshua McLeod and Jarryd Gregoire (3:25.73). This medal performance also raises hopes of the team swimming more often to get into a World top 16 position and make 2020 Olympic relay qualification possible . Team TTO Bronze medal winning time is currently the 11th fastest time in the world by a country.
Kael Yorke at CARIFTA 2018 Photo courtesy of Harold Wilson
Kael Yorke became yet another CARIFTA 2018 Champion to make a medal final as he continues to put together an impressive final year as a junior. He rose to the challenge of competing in senior waters to record a personal best in both the heats and Championship and place seventh. He was timed in 54.27 just outside off the 15-17 age group record of 54.21 held by Carter.
drafting the caribbean 