Sunday the 17th February concluded the end of the 3rd Annual CGM Swimming Championships, held at Shrewsbury Aquatic Center, Ratho Mill and it was St Vincent’s Black Sands Swim Squad (BSSS) that won Best Club for the third consecutive year. Forty BSSS swimmers took part in the four day competition with every swimmer achieving personal best times.
An outstanding performance was given from Mya DeFreitas in the girls 13 to 14 years age group. DeFreitas won 11 of the 13 races she swam, swimming herself to the overall champion trophy and also won the Sprint Challenge. She also broke three National records in the process. Tia Gun Munro won 2 gold, 5 silver and 2 bronze medals. Paige Cadogan swam herself to 6 silver and 5 bronze medals and Akayla Crichton won 1 gold, 1 silver and 3 bronze. 3 gold, 7 silver and 1 bronze went to Bryson George in the boys 13-14 age category with Kenale Alleyne winning 1 gold, 3 silver and 5 bronze medals and Tristan Ballah winning 1 silver and 3 bronze medals.
In the girls 8 years and under category, Eltonique Leonard won 11 gold medals and the Overall Champion Trophy for her age group. In the boys 8 years and under, Benjamin Cyrus came third overall winning 3 silver medals.
In the 9 to 10 years age group, Kathryn Cumberbatch came second overall winning 8 gold and 2 silver medals and Naira John won 4 bronze medals. Matthew Blake battled hard in the boys 9-10 category, winning 3 bronze medals.
In the 11 to 12, Jamie Joachim took ownership of her age group, winning the Overall Champion trophy with 6 gold, 5 silver and 1 bronze medal with Abigail Deshong placing third overall whilst winning 6 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze. Kevern DaSilva was untouchable in the backstroke events in this age group, winning gold in the 50, 100 and 200 meter races.
Team mates Eltonte Leonard and Jayson Sandy went head to head in the boys 11 to 12 age group. Pushing each other hard in every race, it was Leonard who came out on top and won the Overall Champion trophy and won 8 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals whilst Sandy came a close second overall winning 4 gold and 7 silver. Youngster Brandon George swam his best competition to date and was able to win himself 2 silver and 8 bronze medals.
Finally, in the girls 15 years and over category, Ria Adams swam herself to 3 Golds and 2 silver medals whilst in the boys category, CISC medalist Shane Cadogan claimed the Overall Champion trophy and won 7 Gold and 2 silver medals and broke two national records in the process. Team mate Aaron DeFreitas was close to his heels winning 5 gold and 4 silver medals and clinched the Sprint Challenge trophy. Tyrese Lewis wasn’t going to be left off the podium and swam himself to 1 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals, whilst Kyle “Johnny” John won 3 silver and 2 bronze. Not to be left behind, Anwar Medjahed clinched a bronze medal.
Coach Kyle Dougan said he was over the moon with the results from all of his swimmers, not just the medal winners. “This was the first competition of the year and also the first opportunity to see how the swimmers perform after 6 weeks of the 2019 training plan and it seems to be working” explained Dougan. He was also pleased to announce that from BSSS, 9 out of a team of 10 SVG swimmers have unofficially made the 2019 Carifta team.