United States-based trio of Zuri Ferguson, Liam Carrington, and Nikoli Blackman all swam to gold medals in new meet record times as T&T swimmers tallied seven gold, two silver, and three bronze medals on the third night of finals at the Central American and Caribbean Swimming Confederation (CCCAN) Championships on Wednesday.
Carrington also added another gold medal at the Aquatic Centre of the Autonomous University of Nuevo León in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, with veteran Cherelle Thompson, Jaden Mills, and Isabella Dieffenthaller, the other T&T swimmers to secure golden swims on the night.
Overall, after three nights of finals, T&T has amassed 29 medals (13 gold, eight silver and eight bronze) for the second spot on the medal table behind runaway leaders and host Mexico which has captured a resounding 111 medals thus far, inclusive of 42 gold, 45 silver and 24 bronze while Panama is third on the standings with ten medals, comprising of five gold, one silver and four bronze, followed by Guatemala with 25 (four gold, eight silver and 13 bronze) and Costa Rica with 18 (three gold, nine silver and six bronze).
The 16-year-old Ferguson who has committed to the University of Florida and broke the five-year-old 15-17 Girls 50-metre backstroke record with a time of 29.20 seconds on Tuesday night, added the 100m title in the same event in a record swim as well, of one minute, 02,23 seconds to improve on the 2021 time of one minute, 03.90 which was set by Puerto Rico's Miriam Sheehan.
Guatemala secured the silver and bronze via Lucero Mejia (1:03.12), and Melissa Diego (1:04.13), with T&T's Isabella Dieffenthaller, fourth in 1:07.81.
Likewise, the impressive Carrington of Bolles High School in Florida followed up his record splash in the 15-17 Boys 50m backstroke (25.95 seconds) on Tuesday by also completing the double in the event.
This after Carrington stormed to victory in the 100m backstroke in 56.30 to lower the 2022 mark of 57.25 which was held by US Virgin Islands' Maximillian Wilson with host swimmers, Gael Sarmiento (57.43) and William Mora (58.35) earning the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
The second gold medal on the night for Carrington came in the 100m freestyle in 23.55, just ahead of Mexico's Alfredo Coronado who clocked 23.60, with T&T's Zachary Anthony, third in 23.66 for the bronze.
The University of Tennessee ace-swimmer, Blackman was a class above his rivals as well in the 18 and Over Boys 50m freestyle cruising to victory in 22.40, to better the 2009 meet record time of 22.75 which was established by Cuban Hansel Garcia.
Taking the silver medal was Mexican Andres Cantu in 23.05 with Jamaican Nathaniel Thomas, getting the bronze in 23.20, just ahead of USA-based T&T's Aqeel Joseph who touched in 23.25.
Thompson, 31, was aiming to secure an Olympic qualification time in the 18 and Over Girls 50m freestyle, but had to settle for gold alone in 26.10 with Aruba's Elisabeth Timmer, second in 26.41, and Jamaican Sabrina Lyn, third in 26.56.
The 14-year-old Mills got his first individual gold medal of the meet when he won the 13-14 Boys 50m freestyle in 24.62 seconds, with Mexico's Israel Custudio second in 24.72, and Bermuda's AG Hupman, third in 24.77, with another T&T swimmer Aaron Colthrust, joint fourth with Mexico's Daniel Grillo, both in 25.30.
Dieffenthaller, 17, swam to her gold medal in the 15-17 Girls 50m freestyle in 26.49, well clear of Mexicans Ana Camila Morales (26.82) and Hadassah Gomez (26.92) while T&T's Amari Ash was fourth in 27.32.
Taylor Marchan swam to a silver medal in the 11-12 Girls 100m backstroke in 1:09.44 to finish behind Mexico's Fernanda Garcia who won in 1:08.48 while another Mexican, Alejandra Martinez got bronze in 1:10.85.
The 18 and Over Boys 800m freestyle relay quartet of Blackman, Graham Chatoor, Joseph and Johann-Matthew Matamoro combined for a time of seven minutes, 52. 59 and the silver medal with Mexico taking the top spot in 7:37.97 and Costa Rica, third in 8:12.55.
Tobago-born Ornella Walker picked up a bronze medal when she placed third in the 18 and Over 100m backstroke in one minute, 03.83 seconds well behind Mexicans Miranda Grana (1:00.67) and Celia Ortiz (1:01.21) who got gold and silver, respectively.
T&T's other bronze medal in the 15-17 Boys 800m freestyle relay with the foursome of Zachary Anthony, Anphernee Bernard, Liam Roberts and Carrington clocked eight minutes, 03.99 seconds to finish behind Mexico (7:50.68, and Guatemala (8:00.60).
Matamoro was a near miss for a medal for T&T when he placed fourth in the 18 and Over Boys 100m backstroke in 58.43, and the 11-12 Girls 800m freestyle relay team of Zara Persico, Marchan, Mareena Martinez and Zalayhar Lewis also placed fourth in 9:46.42.
Last year, Carrington was T&T standout swimmer at the CCCAN Championship which was held at the Merliot Sports Centre in San Salvador. The then 14-year-old swimmer copped a stunning six gold medals as T&T finished with 27 medals over the five nights of competition, inclusive of a new record time in the 13-14 Boys’ 200 metres backstroke of two minutes, 07.07 seconds, to better the old mark of 2:09.55 from 2011.
The trio of Darren Belfon (50m freestyle), Amari Ash (15-17 Girls’ 50m freestyle), and Graham Chatoor (18 and Over Boys’ 400m) were the other gold medal winners for T&T to go along with five silver and 13 bronze for the third spot on the medal table behind the dominant Mexicans who bagged a mammoth 224 medals, 96 gold, 83 silver and 45 bronze while host El Salvador was second with 30 medals, ten gold, eight silver and 12 bronze.
The Mexicans also reigned supreme on the points table with 2,130 to be crowned swimming champions with Costa Rica second with 645 followed by Honduras with 591, El Salvador with 571.5, Puerto Rico with 474, and T&T in the sixth spot with 361.5.
A year earlier in Christ Church, Barbados, T&T won four gold medals among 13 medals (four gold, four silver, and five bronze) for the tenth spot on the medal table at the five-day swimming segment.
The Mexicans also reigned supreme on the points table with 2,130 to be crowned swimming champions with Costa Rica second with 645 followed by Honduras with 591, El Salvador with 571.5, Puerto Rico with 474, and T&T in the sixth spot with 361.5.
2024 CCCAN Medal Table after Day Three:
Position*Teams*Gold*Silver*Bronze*Total
1*Mexico*42*45*24*111
2*T&T*13*8*8*29
3*Panama*5*1*4*10
4*Guatemala*4*8*13*25
5*Costa Rica*3*9*6*18
6*Barbados*3*3*1*7
7*Jamaica*3*2*5*10
8*US Virgin Islands*3*1*1*5
9*Cayman Islands*2*0*3*5
10*Honduras*2*0*2*4
11*Bermuda*1*0*5*6
12*Haiti*1*0*0*1
13*Aruba*0*3*1*4
14*Venezuela*0*1*4*5
15*El Salvador*0*1*0*1
16*Antigua & Barbuda*0*0*2*2
17*Dom Republic*0*0*2*2
Points Table After Day Three:
1. Mexico - 1,096.5 points
2.T&T - 370
3. Costa Rica - 358
4. Guatemala - 313.5
5. Barbados- 152
6. Panama - 140
7. Bermuda - 136
8. Jamaica - 133
9. Dominican Republic - 101
10. Venezuela - 95
11. Honduras - 91
12. US Virgin Islands - 69
13. Aruba - 67
14. El Salvador - 61
15. Cayman Islands - 57
16. St Lucia - 18
17. Antigua & Barbuda - 16
18. Haiti - 9
