Talented young national swimmers showed rich form for their respective universities in USA recently, including former Youth Olympic champion Christian Homer and Caryle Blondell.Last Friday, Homer, swimming for the University of Florida (UF) in a Division One battle against the University of Georgia, won the 100-yard backstroke event. Although Homer slowed down in the last 50, he had enough in the tank to hold off teammate Corey Main and win the four-lap race. The T&T swimmer won in 48.42 seconds, narrowly ahead of Main (48.51).Homer also competed in the first leg of the 200-yard medley relay for UF. He out raced the field to have the fastest time of 22.29, but his B team would eventually finish third in 1:29.49. He would also put up another provisional qualifying time when he placed second in the 100-yard butterfly in 47.90. beating the NCAA Division One B standard of 48.29.
Homer closed his schedule of events with the Gators D 400-yard freestyle relay swim. He opened up for his team in 46.07, while his T&T teammate Levar Goossen, swam the anchor leg in 47.38. Another T&T swimmer, Kimberly John-Williams, swam for the Georgia Women. John-Williams clocked 26.68, to help her B team to third in the 200-yard medley relay. She would later place sixth in the 100-yard backstroke in 57.85 and eighth in the 100-yard butterfly in 57.76. The freshman closed her programme by leading off Georgia C in the 400-yard freestyle relay, stopping the clock in 53.34.
Also on Friday, Blondell was in action for the University of Louisville (Cardinals) in a two-day meet against the University of North Carolina (UNC). The powerfully built Blondell swam his way to the top in the 100-yard freestyle rankings. Blondell cracked 21.19 for his first 50 yards, only .01 of a second ahead of his Brazilian teammate Joao De Lucca. The San Fernando native held off De Lucca to win in 43.85. Earlier in the day, Blondell swam the first leg for his team in Louisville's 200-yard freestyle relay victory.Blondell continued his form on day two, helping the Cardinals A team to victory in the 400-yard freestyle relay. His team would go on to win in 2:58.62, with UNC B finishing second in 2:59.31. In the 200-yard freestyle medley relay, Blondell had the fastest anchor split of 19.65, to help close the gap on eventual winners UNC B.