Carter, Martin lead T&T medal hopes

USA-based duo Dylan Carter and Tyla Martin will spearhead this country’s title hopes at the 28th edition of the Carifta Swimming Championships from March 29-April 4 in Kingston, Jamaica.

The 34-member squad was first selected by the swimming committee of the Amateur Swimming Association of T&T on Tuesday night and ratified by its council.

Also included are World Junior Swimming Championship qualifiers Kristin Julien and Joshua Romany as well as Jabari Baptiste.

Regional competition is not unknown to almost all of these swimmers and many of them have shown their worth at the Goodwill level (a yearly four-nation swim meet that is largely developmental) including first-time Carifta entrants Jada Chai, Vristnelit Faure, Marissa Packette, Kael Yorke, Jeron Thompson, Kyle Sirju and Canada-based Adrian Goin. 

Other overseas-based swimmers include Emiro Goossen (USA), Alexandria Donahue (USA), UK-based Hannah Chatfield and Caribbean Islands Swimming Championship medallist Rebecca Marshall.

This year will also be the inaugural year for an open water competition in two age group categories at Carifta, and local swimmers for this event will participate in trials that have been integrated in the Trinity Masters KIA Swim Around Gasparee Open Water event to be held on Sunday after which a 12-member squad will be named. The team's training is expected to begin this weekend.

Last year, the T&T squad, which was crowned champions in 2010, ended in third spot overall at the 27th Carifta Swimming Championship in Nassau, Bahamas. 

After four days of competition at the Betty Kelly Kenning National Aquatic Centre, T&T amassed 648 points to trail Bahamas (657) and champions, Guadeloupe (821.5). 

But in terms of medals won, T&T, led by High-Point trophy winners Carter, Tyla Martin and Jabari Baptiste, was first with 54 (26 gold, 17 silver, 11 bronze) while Guadeloupe was next with 63 (25 gold, 19 silver, 19 bronze) and Bahamas, third with 49 (13 gold, 20 silver, 16 bronze). 

The selected swimmers are as follows

11-12: 
Girls: Jada Chai, Vristnelit Faure, Jessie Changar, Hannah Chatfield, Mia Otero, Marissa Packette.
Boys: Rhajeev Ramdeen, Kyle Sirju, Jeron Thompson, Kael Yorke, Mark Anthony Beckles
 

13-14:
Girls: Ariel Cape, Jewel Mulrain, Amira Pilgrim
Boys: Aaron Acres, Adrian Goin, Derelle Prescott, Revash Ramtahal, Osaze Riley, Justin Samlalsingh
 

15-17:
Girls: Syriah David, Alexandria Donahue, Theana Hay, Kristin Julien, Rebecca Marshall, Tyla Martin
Boys: Jabari Baptiste, Dylan Carter, Jonathan Gillette, Emiro Goossen, David Mc Leod, Jeron O'Brien
Jonathan Ramkissoon, Joshua Romany
 

Technical team: Edmund Pouchet (coach), Hazel Haynes (coach), Vincent Tardieu (assistant coach), Brian Wickham (assistant coach), Sharntelle Mc Lean (assistant coach), Roxanne Marcano (chaperone), Natasha Lyder-George (chaperone), Jason Wickham (chaperone), Neal Marcano (manager). ​