Team Saint Lucia’s promising young swimmer, Sapphire Parks, captivated audiences at the recently concluded 39th CARIFTA Aquatics Championships held in Martinique, excelling in the 11-12 girls category.
The event took place at the Pierre Samot Community Aquatic Centre in Le Lamentin, where Sapphire emerged as one of the standout competitors.
On Sunday, April 5, she added three more medals to her impressive collection, reaching four finals in total. Sapphire clinched gold in the 400m individual medley with a time of 5:34.39, earned silver in both the 50m butterfly (30.49) and the 100m backstroke (1:11.97), while narrowly missing the podium with a fourth-place finish in the 200m freestyle final.
As of Tuesday, the fourth day of competition, Parks had amassed six medals, including three golds, in her division. The team celebrated additional success on Sunday, with Tyler Dantes, the 11-12 boys’ 50m backstroke champion, finishing fifth in the 100m backstroke and seventh in the 50m butterfly.
Antoine Destang, who received a silver medal in the 15-17 boys’ 100m butterfly, also placed fifth in the 100m backstroke and sixth in the 50m butterfly.
Overall, Team Saint Lucia continues to excel, adding four more medals to their total.
Medal Results:
– Gold – Sapphire Parks, 200m Butterfly – 2:36.69
– Silver – Sapphire Parks, 200m IM – 2:34.39
– Silver – Antoine Destang, 100m Freestyle – 51.61
– Bronze – Maya Andrew, 50m Breaststroke – 37.44
Saint Lucia commenced the 39th CARIFTA Aquatics Championships with an impressive haul of five medals, including three gold, on the opening day, April 4.
Sapphire was well on her way to repeating her success from last year’s meet in Trinidad and Tobago, grabbing two golds and one bronze. She clocked 1:08.04 in the final of the 100-meter butterfly, secured a bronze in the 50m backstroke in 32.37 seconds, and finished the night strong with a victory in the 200m breaststroke at 2:57.22.
In his debut at CARIFTA, Tyler Dantes earned a gold medal in the 11-12 boys’ 50m backstroke, finishing in 31.61 seconds. Antoine Destang, in his final appearance at CARIFTA, launched his campaign with a silver medal in the 15-17 boys’ 100m butterfly, completing the race in 56.36 seconds.
Additionally, Dylan Corcoran finished fifth in the final of the 11-12 boys’ 200m breaststroke. The Saint Lucia team, comprised of 12 members, accumulated 45 points after the first day of competition.
Day 3 of the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships presented challenges as fatigue began to affect performances. The Bahamas maintained its lead, with Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica in a competitive battle for second place. Barbados and the Cayman Islands also remained strong contenders, battling through tightly contested races.
Individual standout performances included Trinidad & Tobago’s Liam Carrington, who posted the fastest qualifying time in the Boys 15-17 200m individual medley and led the 100m freestyle prelims at 51.75 seconds.
Haiti’s Christian Jérôme was the fastest qualifier in the Boys 15-17 200m butterfly, while Jamaica’s Kia Alert showcased her skills in both the 200m individual medley and the 50m breaststroke.
As the final day of competition approaches, excitement continues to build. The Saint Lucia Aquatic Federation (SLAF) commended Team Saint Lucia for its outstanding performances in the finals and acknowledged the efforts of all swimmers who advanced and contributed essential points for the team.