Week ending March 8, 2020 ~News from our Federations~ The pool at the Viper’s Aquatic Facility at Langfords was boiling with hot performances during the recently held 7th National Swimming Championships. The event, hosted by the Antigua and Barbuda Swimming Federation (ABSF), took place February, 28th to March 1st, 2020. The three-day meet saw over 90 swimmers competing to become National Age Group High Points Champions while also attempting to improve their times and qualify for the upcoming Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) Swimming Championships and Central American and Caribbean Amateur Swimming Confederation (CCCAN) 2020. With swimmers as young as 5, the Nationals was a mix of development and high performance. The Minister of Sports, Culture, National Festivals and the Arts, Hon. Daryll Matthew gave the featured address at the opening ceremony and encouraged the ABSF and the swimmers to continue on their paths to success and stressed the importance of sports in everyday life. Also giving opening remarks was Mr. Phillip Isaacs, Antigua and Barbuda Olympic Association (ABOA) 3rd Vice President, who provided a historical perspective of swimming in Antigua and Barbuda as he urged the swimmers to do their best and be excellent ambassadors for the nation. Leading off the recording setting performances was young Kaylee Warner, swimming in the 6 and under age-group category, who scored an impressive six national age group records (NAGR) over the weekend. Kaylee set new marks in the 25 metre backstroke (23.56), the 50 metre backstroke (50.32) the 100 metre backstroke (1:55.41), the 50 metre breaststroke (1:02.20), the 100 metre breastroke (2:19.13) and the 200 meter freestyle (3:47.45). Eight year-old Keitonya Skepple also had an exceptional meet with 100% time improvements and three NAGRs on her way to securing the girl’s high points trophy in the 8 and under age-group. Keitonya secured her records in the 400 metre freestyle (6:29.83), the 200 metre freestyle (3:00.18) and the 100 metre backstroke (1:39.46). Moving up in age, the girls kept the record-breaking momentum going. Selah Wiltshire, swimming in the 11 – 12 age group, posted a NAGR in the 200 metre breaststroke (3:12.69), besting her previous record set in January. Selah also set a AAA (triple-A) time in the 50 metre freestyle (29.36) in the 50 metre freestyle. Meanwhile, Hailey Derrick swam hard to claim the high points trophy in the girls 13 – 14 age-group, securing four NAGRs and one national record (NR) along the way. Hailey’s NR and NAGR record came in the 200 metre butterfly with a time of 2:30.49, while her NAGRs were accomplished in the 100 metre butterfly (1:07.36), the 200 metre freestyle (2:12.04) and the 400 metre freestyle (4:40.69). Hailey also obtained her second AAA time, which qualifies her for CCCAN later this year. On the boys’ side, Tivon Benjamin continued his winning ways with two NAGRs and a NR. Tivon, although only 12 and swimming the 11 -12 age-group, set the NR in the 800 metre freestyle, where he swam an impressive time of 9:31.35. He also set the 100 metre freeetyle NAGR (57.13), and swam personal bests in 11 of 12 events on his way to capturing the high points trophy in his age category. Jamie Tranter captured the high points champion title in the boys 8 and under age category and set a NAGR in the Jamie NAGR in 100 metre backstroke (1:34.65). Brandon Derrick also swam his way to the title of high points champion in the boys 15 – 17 age category, also set a new NAGR when he eclipsed his past record in the 800 metre freestyle and with a time of 9:41.33. Addressing the record breaking performances over the weekend, President of the ABSF Dr. Derek Marshall, said, “The Nationals produced outstanding results, especially from the girls. Young Kaylee’s six record breaking performances proves that the future of swimming is bright in Antigua and Barbuda”. He added, “I would like to congratulate all the swimmers - especially the high point champions and records setters in each age group category. They swam with purpose and delivered an excellent show for the spectators.” Beyond the broken records, the meets also saw outstanding performances by the likes of Davien Barton who had 100% improvement in times and qualified for CARIFTA with two AA (doube-A) times in the 50 metre and 200 metre freestyle. Ethan Stubbs-Green also qualified for CARIFTA with 2 AA times in the 100 metre butterfly and the 400 metre freestyle. Meanwhile, Arianna John lifted the high points trophy in the girls 15 – 17 age group, while Jamie Trantor (high points champion 8 and under, boys) and Tony Goodwin (high points champion 13 – 14 boys) had perfect weekends scoring 10 golds each. Adrian Karam had a near perfect weekend on his way to boys’ high points champion in the 9 – 10 age group with nine golds and one silver. While reflecting on the meet, Vice President of Pools Darren Derrick, stated, “We had three days of glorious weather during the meet and I would like to thank all the sponsors, officials, volunteers and screaming supporters that made the event successful. We had 93 swimmers compete in the ABSF Nationals and 17 national age group records were broken. Most of those were in the younger age-groups, so that is an excellent sign for the future of swimming.” Derrick confirmed that the high point champions in each age category are restricted to nationals of Antigua and Barbuda. High point champions: 8 and under – Keitonya Skepple (Girls) and Jamie Trantor (Boys), 9 – 10 years old – Davina Barton (Girls) and Adrian Karam (Boys), 11 – 12 year old – Aungelique Liddie (Girls) and Tivon Benjamin (Boys), 13 – 14 years old – Hailey Derrick (Girls) and Tony Goodwin (Boys), 15 – 17 years old – Arianna John (Girls) and Brandon Derrick (Boys), 18 and over – Darryl Appleton (Boys). There was no 18 and over female swimmer. The ABSF National Swimming Championships was the last local qualifying event for CARIFTA 2020. The ABSF Selection Committee will review the results from the meet and those of overseas qualifiers and name the national swimming team to head to Barbados. CARIFTA 2020 is scheduled to occur on Easter Weekend (April 10th – 14th) in Barbados. The meet is an approved qualified for the XXXII Olympiad 2020 to be held in Tokyo, Japan this summer. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ While many countries dropped out last second due to coronavirus, the first leg of the FINA Artistic World Series in Paris, France was a weekend filled with nerves and excitement. Aruba's new pair Meghan Tromp & Kyra Hoevertsz showcased their new routine programs for the first time together on the international stage. While the pair had strong swims, they hoped for a bit higher score. Aruba also competed in the solo events. Tromp swam her 'Toxic' free solo earning a score of 71. Hoevertsz swam her free solo to "Just a Fool" by Christina Aguilera & Blake Shelton earning 74 points. Hoevertsz's technical solo earned 73 points. Esther Croes, Aruba's FINA A judge was present at the competition as well. While she didn't judge Aruba's routine directly, she did have the tough job of judging all the other events. At the end of the competition the pair also performed a Carnival routine in the Gala, representing a part of Aruba's culture. The crowd absolutely loved the music. Allyson Ponson representing Azura Florida Aquatics lowered the Aruban 200 metre freestyle national record at the 2020 Sectionals which ran from March 5 to 8 in Plantation Florida. She lowered the national mark from 2:06.97 held by Florence Kock from 2016 to 2:05.66 to place second in the B final .Her previous personal best was 2:07.03 set recently at the TYR Pro meet in Knoxville. In the 800 metre freestyle relay she swam the second leg in 2:07.43 to help the A team to the Bronze medal in a total time of 8:42.43. In the 50 metre freestyle she won the Silver in a time of 26.12 after swimming 26.09 in the heats.In the 400 metre metre medley she anchored the team in 56.89 to help them to the Silver in 4:22.90.She took Silver in the 100 metre freestyle time in a time of 57.40.She would lower that 100 metre freestyle time to 57.10 leading off the 400 metre freestyle relay. Azura Women won the Gold in a time of 3:55.28. Another Olympian Mikel Schreuders was testing his speed at the TYR Pro swim Series in Des Moines.He was fourth in the B final in a season best time of 49.32. The winner of the race was US OLympic Gold medallist Nathan Adrian in 48.62 and 2019 World champion in the event Caleb Dressel was second in 48.68.Mikel would go on to win the B final of the 200 metre freestyle in a time of 1:49.84,yet another season best.He would take the C final in a time of 22.89. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Bahamas Aquatics Federation (BAF) ratified a 36-member team for the 2020 CARIFTA Swimming Championships that will be held at the Barbados Aquatic Center in Wildey, Barbados, set for Saturday, April 11 to Tuesday, April 14. The team was ratified yesterday afternoon, a day after the BAF hosted its CARIFTA Trials, which was dubbed the ‘Last Chance Meet’, where swimmers put their best foot forward to improve their times.