Cayman’s swim team brings home 13 medals
(L-R) Medallists Avery Lambert, Corey Frederick-Westerborg, Sabine Ellison, Lauren Hew, Alison Jackson, Ria Plunkett and Catriona MacRae (missing from photo is Alex McCallum)
(CNS): Cayman Islands national swimmers returned from the Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships (CISC) in Bahamas last week with medals, records, personal bests, experience and lots of memories. At the open-water competition, Cayman’s Catriona MacRae – who is hanging up her goggles when she heads off to college at Auburn University this fall – won a bronze in the 10K and a silver two days later in the 5K. Teammate Alex McCallum, who took part in the pool competition, also brought his swimming career to an end with a silver medal in the 200M backstroke.
McCallum, who graduates from the University of Loughborough this summer with a bachelor of science honours degree in economics with accounting, will be returning to Cayman to work.
“Bringing home a total of 13 medals – 11 in the pool and two in the open-water competition, Cayman’s swimmers had a good outing in the Bahamas and we are very proud of them all,” said Cayman Islands Amateur Swimming Association president Michael Lockwood.
Sabine Ellison won a bronze, silver and gold in the three age 11-12 breaststroke events and took a gold in the 200IM.
Ria Plunkett repeated her success from CARIFTA in the girls 13-14 800M; Lauren Hew took gold in the 100M and silver in the 200M backstroke events; and Avery Lambert won her first medal while representing the Cayman Islands with a bronze in the girls 11-12 200M backstroke.
Corey Frederick-Westerborg, in addition to a number of other records, broke two 11-12 age group records for the 200IM (in which he won a bronze medal) and 100M freestyle, which were previously held by Olympians Andrew MacKay and Shaune Fraser, respectively.
Frederick-Westerborg said of his success at the competition, “It’s a great feeling to break records set by two of Cayman’s Olympians. I feel so happy that I was able to represent Cayman at CISC and break the 200IM record that I have been after for so long. I credit my performance at CISC to all my coaches and the support of my family and friends – thank you for all you’ve done to help me reach my goals.”
Alison Jackson set a new record, and won a bronze medal, in the 13-14 100M freestyle, becoming the first girl in that age group to complete that race in under a minute, and breaking a record previously held by the Cayman Islands Olympic Committee’s COO, Jennifer Powell.
“Going under a minute (in the 100M freestyle) had been a goal of mine for a while now,” Jackson said. “Now that I have achieved it I am setting myself new, and faster, goals.”
The full team that represented Cayman in the Bahamas comprised Ellison, Avery Lambert, Stephanie Royston, Jackson, Ria Plunkett, Holly Stradling, Samantha Bailey, Sarah Jackson, Hew, MacRae, Ella Plunkett, Jake Bailey, Frederick-Westerborg, Jordan Crooks, Zachary Moore, Jonathan Key and McCallum.
Bailey Weathers and David Pursley coach the swimmers, and Sue Weathers is the team manager. Adam Roberts and Tom McCallum accompanied the team to the Bahamas to officiate at the meet.
Cayman’s national swimmers will train throughout the summer, and compete at end-of-season swim meets in St Petersburg, Florida; Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and Boston, Massachusetts before taking a short break.
