Blue Dolphins Swim Club’s Zarek Wilson and Marlins’ Nikoli Blackman were only two swimmers who achieved the “A” standard qualifying times after the National Age-Group Long Course Swimming Championships ended at the National Aquatic Centre in Balmain, Couva, on Sunday night.
The five-day meet, hosted by the Amateur Swimming Association of T&T (ASATT), was used to help with the selection of national teams for the upcoming Carifta Swimming Championship (April 11-14) at the Barbados Aquatic Centre in Bridgetown.
Wilson achieved the standard during the preliminaries in both the boys’ 13-14 50 metres freestyle and the 100m butterfly, which he won convincingly. He touched the wall in 24.83 seconds to advance with a fastest qualifying time in the freestyle prelims and later returned to win gold in 25.21, with Josiah Changar of Marlins trailing in second in 25.68 and Point Fortin Aqua Darts’ (PFAD) Sheni St Hillaire in third (25.96).
In the 100m butterfly, Wilson progressed as the quickest qualifier with a 58.35-clocking, going faster than the B standard mark of 58.82, then went on to win gold in the final in 59.01, beating Blackman (1:01.02) and Changar (1:03.79) to the finish.
On Saturday, the 14-year-old was the lone swimmer meeting the “A” standard in winning the 200m free in 1:59.57. Wilson earned high-points award honours in the boys’ 13-14 division by winning eight of his nine events. He also competed in the 100m, 400m freestyle, 50 backstroke, 50m, 200m butterfly and 400 individual medley (IM), topping the rankings ahead of Blackman (73) and Changar with 64.
Blackman also attained the “A” mark in the 1,500m free with a 16:57.84-clocking to reach the top of the podium ahead of Changar (18:03.09) and PFAD’s Andre Sandy (19:41.46) respectively. He competed in the 200m back, 100m breaststroke, 200m fly, 200m IM, 50m back, 50m breast, 50m and 100m fly.
Wilson (100m fly), Blackman (200m IM/200m back/100m fly) and Changar (1,500m free) were among the boys’ “B” standard time qualifiers, along with Giovanni Rivas (Rwb Academy) in the 11-12 200m IM and 100m fly, Christiano Rivas (Rwb Aquatic Academy) in the 100m fly, Aqeel Joseph (Sea Hawks) in the 15-17 100m fly and Zachary Anthony (Marlins) in the 100m fly.
Among the girls were Zoe Anthony (Marlins) in the 13-14 100m fly, Caitlyn Lee Fong (Petrotrin Barracudas) in the 13-14 100m fly and DeNicha Lewis (Flying Fish) in the 15-17 50m free and both Amari Ash (Flying Fish) and Gabrielle Vickles (Tidal Wave) in the 50m free.
There were also a number of swimmers going under “C” times, including Keryn Burke (Atlantis Aquatics), Zachary Anthony, Liam Carrington (Petrotrin Barracudas), Cayman Sellier (PFAD), Madara Edwards (Sea Hawks), Jacob Cox (YMCA), Shaelen Reece (Tidal Wave), Christiano Rivas and Ludmilla Guenther (Flying Fish).
Individual rankings
8 & Under
Girls: 1 Taylor Marchan (Marlins) 47; 2 Malika Mc Millan (Bluefins) 38; 2 Marena Martinez (Marlins) 38
Boys: 1 Kyle Leera (Tidal Wave) 54; 2 Jeremiah Mahabir (Tidal Wave) 39; 3 Aidan Mayers (Blue Dolphin) 33
9-10
Girls: 1 Netania Edwards (Sea Hawks) 69; 2 Harmoni Nelson (Tidal Wave) 63; 3 Alyssa Reid (Tidal Wave) 61
Boys: 1 Marcus Alexander (Barracudas) 70; 2 Rylan Thomas (Marlins) 67; 3 Adam Scoon (Marlins) 56
11-12
Girls: 1 Keryn Burke (Atlantis) 76; 2 Madara Edwards (Sea Hawks) 63; 3 Sydney Look Fong (Barracudas) 45
Boys: 1 Giovanni Rivas (Rwb Academy) 79; 2 Zachary Anthony (Marlins) 63; 3 Liam Carrington (Barracudas) 59
13-14
Girls: 1 Zoe Anthony (Marlins) 79; 2 Gabrielle Vickles (Tidal Wave) 53; 3 Caitlyn Look Fong (Barracudas) 40
Boys: 1 Zarek Wilson (Blue Dolphin) 79; 2 Nikoli Blackman (Marlins) 73; 3 Josiah Changar (Marlins) 64
15-17
Girls: 1 Jada Chatoor (Marlins) 70; 2 Terri Yates (Blue Dolphin) 53; 3 Adji Diouf (Marlins) 37/3 Eden Edwards (P/Fortin Aqua Darts) 37
Boys: 1 Aqeel Joseph (Sea Hawks) 76; 2 Riquelio Joseph (Atlantis) 50; 3 Malik Nelson (Atlantis) 47/3 Kyle West (Marlins) 47
18 & Over
Girls: 1 Ornella Walker (YMCA Tobago) 42; 2 Deshor Edwards (Atlantis) 41; 3 Kami Morean (Tsunami) 38
Boys: 1 Josiah Parag (Blue Dolphin) 46; 2 Geston Pascall (P/Fortin Aqua Darts) 41; 3 Jamaal Pascall (Flying Fish) 39