EACH year in August the Saint Lucia Aquatics Federation (SLAF) sends a team to participate in the Goodwill Swim Championships. The event was developed to provide not only a new avenue of competition for developing swimmers, but the infusion of learning new cultures from the region as well.
This year the meet will be hosted by Suriname from Friday 16th to Sunday 18th August 2019.
The Goodwill Swim Meet is a developmental swim meet for swimmers who are not eligible to participate in CARIFTA, CCCAN, and higher level swimming championships. Each National Federation has a maximum of 40 swimmers – four boys and four girls in the age groups 8 and under, 9 to 10, 11 to 12, 13 to 14 and 15 to 17. The member countries of the Goodwill Swim Meet host the meet on an annual rotation basis. It was hosted in Saint Lucia in 2016.
This year Sea Jays Swim Club had 16 swimmers achieving the qualifying times to represent Saint Lucia at the Goodwill Swim Championships. Due to prohibitive costs and difficulty with logistics, it became disadvantageous for many swimmers to attend.
Through the commitment and arrangements of SLAF, Sea Jays is proud that Fayth Jeffrey will be representing the club and Saint Lucia during the upcoming event.
Jeffrey who will compete in the girls 9-10 age group has represented Saint Lucia on numerous occasions at Goodwill and at OECS Swimming Championships.
She will be accompanied by her mother Donna Kaidou-Jeffrey throughout the swim meet.
Jeffrey was awarded the SLAF 8 and Under Female Swimmer of the Year for 2018. Currently holding numerous age group records for Girls 8 and Under, Jeffrey has been striving to achieve more in the 9-10 age group as well. She currently holds the Girls 9-10 age group record in the 100 metres Breaststroke.
Jeffrey has always been an enthusiastic swimmer, always striving to improve. When not training for swimming, she enjoys participating in triathlons and track meets. Outside of sports Jeffrey spends time playing the violin.
When asked about attending Goodwill, the young swimmer commented that she is excited to represent Saint Lucia at the swim meet. Her goal for the swim competition is to “medal in my favourite events the 50 meters and 100 Breast.”
Sea Jays Head Coach Brian Charles expressed, “She is a lovely, dedicated swimmer. With her level of commitment and passion, she can make it far in swimming. We will continue to rally her to stay motivated and committed.”
Sea Jays Swim Club proudly encourages Fayth to do her best in the Goodwill Swim Championships and all meets she attends. It is the hope of the executive and members that forward planning will continue allowing all qualifying members to be able to attend the 2020 Goodwill Swimming Championships.
Sea Jays looks forward to hosting the Short Course Nationals in the first weekend of October.