Keryn Burke of Atlantis Aquatics Swim Club will lead this country’s bid for a sixth straight title when the 25th annual Goodwill Swimming Championship splashes off at the 25 metres Zwembad Parima Public Swimming Pool (V.O.S), Paramaribo, Suriname on Friday from 2.30pm and end on August 18. The opening ceremony is carded for two hours after the first event.
Friday's event programme includes 100m freestyle, 50m breaststroke, 100m backstroke, 4x50m mixed freestyle relay and 4x100m medley relays in the Eight & Under, 9 – 10, 11 – 12, 13 – 14 and 15 – 17 age-groups.
On Saturday from 9 am, the 100m individual medley, 50m freestyle, 100m breaststroke, 50m butterfly and 4x50m medley, as well as 4x100m freestyle relays, take place.
And on Sunday, the 200m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 100m butterfly, and 4x50m freestyle events will come off.
In addition to T&T and the host country, the other participating countries over the next three days are St Lucia, Grenada, Barbados, Guyana, and the Bahamas.
As host, Suriname also extended an invitation to the national federations of Jamaica, French Guyana, and Curacao to be the Guest Teams for the special 2019 edition.
Burke will be eager to pick up where she left off at the National Aquatic Centre, Balmain, Couva recently where she broke two 9-10 Girls records which were held by Jahmia Harley.
Burke set new marks in the 100m freestyle (1:02.32 minutes), and 50m butterfly (31.61 seconds), en route to amassing a massive 99 points from nine wins out of a possible nine, and 48 points clear of Petrotrin Barracudas Sieana Jagdeo and Khayla Gouveia of Sea-Hawks, who were joint second to be the top points earner at the Short Course meet overall.
Her other wins came in the 5om freestyle (29.26 secs), 200m freestyle (2:23.40), 50m backstroke (34.38 secs), 100m butterfly (1:12.69), 100m breaststroke (1:29.12) , 50m breaststroke (40.87 secs), 200m individual medley (2:42.10), and 100m backstroke (1:14.43), 2oom.
T&T Goodwill Swim Team
8 & Under Girls: Asia-Marie Pouchet, Harmoni Nelson, Katlyn Richards, Taylor Marchan,
8 & Under Boys: Kyle Leera, Deron Blackman, Qadir Lewis, Ari Victor,
9 - 10 Girls: Keryn Burke, Siena Jagdeo, Khayla Gouveia, Cayann Sellier,
9 - 10 Boys: Liam Carrington, Anpherne Bernard, Christiano Rivas, Darren Belfon,
11 - 12 Girls: Mya Wells, Atiyah Walter, Maidan Edwards, Maia Roberts,
11 - 12 Boys: Shaelen Reece, Khadeem Brathwaite, Andre Sandy, Tyresse Boxill,
13 - 14 Girls: Jada-Marie Cedeno, Daniella Blackman, Jade Foncette, Marilyn Moses
13 - 14 Boys: Keishawn Daniel, Prince Moreau, Kristoff Vialva, Akash Singh
15 - 17 Girls: Sierra Robinson, Lexi Browne, Eden Edwards, Rebekar Jamadar
15 - 17 Boys: Derrell Augustine, Elijah La Caille, Nicholas Francois, Ezekiel Wilson
Technical staff: Ronald Joseph (manager), Ronald Corke (head coach), Cadean Lyons (assistant coach), Mark Rivas (assistant coach), Lennox Gould (assistant coach), Marie Marcano (chaperone), Andre Joseph (chaperone), Natasha Lyder-George (chaperone), Marlene Joseph (chaperone).