Multiple regional medal winner Jabari Baptiste of Marlins and breaststroke specialist Napoleon Howell of Centre of Excellence Sea Hawks, established new national records on the penultimate day of competition at the annual Amateur Swimming Association of T&T Invitational Meet at the Marlins Swim Pool, Morne Coco Road, Westmoorings, on Saturday.
Baptiste, who has been breaking records with regularity, shattered the July 2005 record of Christian Homer in the 400m Individual Medley. Baptiste swam a blistering 5:01.45 to shatter the the record which was established at the CCCAN Championships of 5:15.02. A Fatima College student, Baptiste was a triple gold medallist on the day as he also won the 200m freestyle (2:04.73) and 200m backstroke (2:22.95).
He was within reach of the Nicholas Bovell 200m back record of 2:21.10. Howell, a freshman at St Cloud State University in Minnesota USA, won gold in the 50m breaststroke in 29.82 seconds. In a spectacular display of speed, the CISC Gold medallist similarly erased a CCCAN 2005 record of 29.88 seconds which was held by Nicholas Bovell, the younger brother of top T&T swimmer, George Bovell III.
The 50m breaststroke saw three national records survive extinction.
Jonathan Ramkissoon of Sea Hawks was the most unlucky of the three as the 13-14 boys' missed the national 50m breaststroke mark by 0.1 second when he won gold in 32.08 He missed the 2007 record of Ryan Rigues of 31.98. Vrisnelit Faure of Tidal Wave Aquatics touched the wall in 43.84 seconds, just outside the 1994 Sobenna George record of 43.42. Dario Omiss of Blue Dolphins missed the 1992 record of Scott Sealy, establishing his own personal best of 38.80.
Guyanese national and Marlins' swimmer Jessica Stephenson went faster than the 13-14 girls' T&T 50m breaststroke record of 35.42, touching the wallin 34.81. CISC Gold medallist Syriah David of Tidal Wave Aquatics again had double gold success when she won the 11-12 girls' 200m freestyle in 2:20.29, and 100m butterfly in 1:11.99. Stefan Sharpe of Marlins also won two golds in the 15 and Over, 200m backstroke (2:18.05) and 200m freestyle (2:00.52). Christian Selby of Pirates Barbados was the victor in the 11-12 boys' 100m butterfly (1:04.92) and 50m breaststroke (35.87). Dylan Carter of Marlins won double gold in the 100m butterfly (59.47) and 200m backstroke (2:17.41).