Syriah David dominated her age-group rivals as she swam to four first place finishes in the girls' 11 & Over category at the Amateur Swimming Association's of T&T National Open Long Course Swim Meet at Marlins Pool, Morne Coco Road, Westmoorings on Friday night. David got her victories in the 800 metres freestyle (10:08.08 mins); 200m individual medley (2:41.65 mins); 100m butterfly (1:10.66 mins) and the 100m freestyle (1:02.99 mins). Not to be overshadowed, Jada Chai and Luke Gillette picked up two gold medals each on the night. Chai swam to her double gold in the girls' 10 & Under, 200m freestyle (2:33.13 mins) and 50m backstroke (37.19 seconds) while Gillette was unbeatable in both the boys' 10 & Under 50m backstroke (37.47 secs) and 100m breaststroke (1:31.38 mins) splashes.
There were also wins for Shania David, Kimberly Joseph and Vrisnelit Faure in the girls' competition, and Sachin Sankar, Aqeel Joseph, Jabari Baptiste, Mosi Denoon, Carlyle Blondell, Cadell Lyons and Joshua Romany among the boys'. The meet which ends today is being used by the swimmers to try and acheive the standard qualification time for the London Olympic Games and the Caribbean Islands Swimming Championship next month in Aruba. Two-time Olympian Sharntelle McLean is also using the meet to try and shave her time in the 50m freestyle to receive the nod. To further support the efforts of the London 2012 Olympic hopefuls as well as swimmers hoping to make the CISC team 2012, meet referee Hayden Newallo would be entertaining time trials at the request of coaches. At the 2012 Carifta meet too, Joshua Romany's 200m freestyle time was 1:52.46 with the Olympic Selection (Invitation) Time at 1:51.59 so he is just 0.87 away and also in the 100 freestyle the time he posted was 50.99 with an Olympic Invitation time of 50.53 which is 0.46 off the time.
These times would be the closest to the Olympic Selection times posted by our swimmers so far. Dylan Carter is 1.40 and 1.60 seconds away from the 100 back and fly strokes respectively. Both Romany and Carter are just 16-years-old. In the 100m backstroke Timothy Wynter of Jamaica (57.32) who is Carter's (57.70) rival at regional meets is also participating as is Caryle Blondell (57.80). Julian Fletcher of Bermuda would also be in action in the 100m breaststroke (1:03.97) where he is just over one second off the Olympic Invitation time ahead of locals Napoleon Howell(1:05.40) and Abraham Mc Leod (1:05.41). Joshua Mc Leod has his sight set on meeting the Olympic Selection Time of 54.19 in the 100m butterfly. He is currently 0.76 seconds off the mark.