Jamaica secured the fourth position at the 37th Carifta Swimming Championships, which concluded on Tuesday at the Betty Kelly-Kenning National Swim Complex in Nassau, The Bahamas.
At the end of the four days of competition, Jamaica amassed 559 points.
The host nation, The Bahamas won the championships for a sixth consecutive time and eighth in the last nine meets. Team Bahamas accumulated a total of 1,096.50 points, well ahead of the Cayman Islands, who had 660. Trinidad and Tobago got 639 for third, 80 clear of fourth-place Jamaica. Barbados rounded out the top five with 486.50.
In the medal standings, Jamaica again finished fourth with 18 gold, 12 silver and 15 bronze for a medal haul of 45. The Bahamas again topped the table, finishing with 34 gold, 39 silver and 28 bronze for 101 medals. Trinidad and Tobago finished second in the medal standings with 24 gold, 15 silver and 17 bronze for a total of 56. The Cayman Islands rounded out the top three nations in the medal standings with 18 gold, 13 silver and 19 bronze for a medal-haul of 50.
The order of finish at Carifta swimming is based on points as opposed to gold medal count for Carifta track and field.
On the closing day of the competition, Jamaica secured two national age group relay records.
In the Boys’ 13-14 200m freestyle medley relay, the quartet of Matthew Kennedy, Adlai Nixon, Kai Radcliffe, and Noland Barrett established a national record with a time of 1:42.39, earning them second place. Trinidad and Tobago claimed victory with a championship record time of 1:40.61.
In the Boys’ 15-17 200m freestyle relay, the quartet of Nelson Denny, Brady Lewison, Malcolm McKenzie and Benjamin Davis clocked a national record 1:36.72 to finish third behind the Bahamas (1:34.76) and Trinidad and Tobago (1:35.28). That same quartet had earlier in the week broken the national 400m freestyle relay record with a time of 3:34.87 for third place. Trinidad and Tobago won in a championship record of 3:32.24 to beat the Bahamas who finished with a time of 3:34.37.
Meanwhile, Kai Alert and Noland Barrett emerged as the standout performers for Jamaica.
Alert clinched the high point trophy for the Girls’ 11-12 age group by securing five individual gold medals. She dominated in the 50m butterfly with a time of 30.75, the 50m breaststroke with a time of 36.60, the 100m freestyle with a time of 1:01.81, the 50m freestyle with a time of 27.55, and the 100m breaststroke with a time of 1:21.52.
Barrett was recognized as the World Aquatics high point winner in the Boys’ 13-14 age group after securing three individual gold medals. He claimed victory in the 200m freestyle with a time of 2:00.18, the 100m freestyle with a time of 56.46, and the 400m freestyle with a time of 4:19.15.
In addition, Sabrina Lyn showcased her talent in the Girls’ 18 and over age group, setting championship records in the 100m freestyle (56.69), the 50m freestyle (25.82), and the 100m breaststroke (1:13.03).
