Marlins Swim Club's Aimee Le Blanc and Anpherne Bernard of Red, White and Black Aquatic Academy both established two new age-group records on the second night of finals at the Aquatic Sports Association of T&T (ASATT) National Open Short Course Championship at the National Aquatic Centre in Balmain, Couva on Friday night.
Competing in the 11 and Over girls' 1,500 meres freestyle, the 13-year-old Le Blanc had the second-fastest time overall of 18 minutes and 18.89 seconds to erase the old age-group top time of 18:47.72 which was set by Sabrina David in 2015.
Amelia Rajack (16) of Atlantis was the overall winner of the 1,500m freestyle when she got home in 18:18.34 while Marlins Zara Persico (11) was third in 19:29.18.
The 14-year-old Bernard was in top form in the 11 and Over boys' 200m breaststroke winning in a time of two minutes, 25.19 seconds to improve on the 30-year-old record of 2:26.03 which was held for 30 years by Stephan Ottley.
Second to the wall was 13-year-old Alejandro Agard of Marlins in 2:39.04 while Khadeem Brathwaite, 16, took third in 2:40.09.
Apart from the record-breaking performances of Le Blanc and Bernard, Marlins' Zachary Anthony and Blue Lightning's Zalayhar Lewis were both impressive with four and three wins to their names, respectively.
Anthony won the 11 and Over Boys' 1,500m freestyle (16:53.02), 200m individual medley (2:09.26), 100m freestyle (51.09), and the 100m butterfly (56.62), and Lewis topped her rivals in the 10 and Under Girls' 200m freestyle (2:34.82), 50m backstroke (35.59), and 100m breaststroke (1;26.65 minutes).
The other multi-winner on the night was Micah Alexander of Eagles Aquatics with victories in the 10 and Under Boys' 100m breaststroke in 1:35.13, and the 200m freestyle in 2:32.44.
The other winners on the night included Kiara Goodridge (Blue Dolphins), Olympian Cherelle Thompson of EASC, Gabrielle Vickles of Tidal Wave Aquatics, Maidan Edwards of Red, White and Black Aquatic Academy, and Sapphire Wong-Chong Achee of Blue Lightning among the girls while the pair of Aiden Nixon of Tidal Wave Aquatics, and unattached Christian Awah picked up a win each.
In the lone relay event contested, the 11 and Over Mixed 400m freestyle, the Tidal Wave Aquatics foursome of Stachys Harley, Vickles, Joy Blackett, and Johann-Matthew Matamoro won in three minutes and 55.76 seconds. The four-day meet concludes Sunday.
