THE Rodney Height Aquatic Centre was a hive of activities as the Saint Lucia Amateur Swimming Association staged its Independence Swim Challenge on Sunday 18 March, 2018.
At the end of the one-day event, Seajays Swim Club emerged as champions with 809 points — a whopping 286 points clear of the second place team and defending champions Sharks Swim Club.
The meet commenced at 10: 00 a.m. and proved to be a full day of competition with 34 events, the March Past by the participating teams, medals presentation and remarks from President Eddie Hazell, who welcomed the swimmers back to the home of swimming after an interruption for just over one month due to pool repairs.
Some of the highlights of the day were swims from 6-year-old Zaina Brathwaite from the Sharks Swim Club swimming her personal best of 24.98 seconds in the 25 meter Butterfly, 8-year-old Kaitlyn Holder of Southern Flying Fish swimming a personal best time of 2 minutes 11.77 seconds in the 100 meter Breaststroke and 10-year-old Malik Peter of the Seajays Swim Club swimming his best time of 1 minute 50.12 seconds in the 100 meter Breaststroke.
Other highlights came from 14-year-old Marisa Louisy of the Seajays Swim Club swimming a personal best time of 1 minute 12.98 seconds in the 100 meter backstroke, 8-year-old Jayson Felix of Lightning Aquatics swimming his personal best of 24.40 seconds in the 25 meter Backstroke and 10-year-old Isabelle Esper from the Sharks Swim Club swimming her personal best time of 51.83 seconds in the 50 meter breaststroke.
Many swimmers from the RR Aquatic made their debut in the world of swimming competitively.
The Carifta swimmers took to the water and swam hard with personal best times coming from Naima Hazell swimming 1 minute 05.49 in 100 meter freestyle and breaking the only record set at the meet with 28.23 seconds in 50 meter Freestyle.
Naekeisha Louis swam her personal best in the 50 freestyle with 29.73 seconds. D’Andre Blanchard also swam a personal best time of 1 minute 00.12 seconds in the 100 freestyle and 27.47 seconds in 50 freestyle and JayhanOdlum Smith swimming a personal best of 55.29 seconds in 100 meter freestyle.
Their coaches will be working very closely with the Carifta Team in the upcoming days to improve on weak areas.
At the end of the day, the Seajays Swim Club was victorious, winning with a combined score of 809 points (Boys 570/ Girls 239). 2nd place overall team scores went to the Sharks Swim Club with 563 points (Boys 202/ Girls 361), 3rd place Lightning Aquatics with 354 points (Boys 199/ Girls 155), 4th Place RR Aquatics with 205 points (Boys 96/ Girls 109), Southern Flying Fish with 202 points (Boys 47/Girls 155) and the Sports Academy with 39 points (Girls 39).
SLASA is grateful for the assistance from the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports and other contributors, including Blue Waters and Windjammer Landing.
The Association is also extremely grateful to the swimmers for their patience throughout the past month and looks forward to creating a forum for increased competitive swimming throughout 2018.