Cayman’s swimmers at world championships
(CNS Local Life): Newcomers to the major international swimming stage, Cayman athletes Raya Embury-Brown and Jordan Crooks are joining veterans Lauren Hew and Brett Fraser at the 18th annual FINA World Championships in South Korea. More than 2,500 competitors representing 194 countries are participating in the championships, which started 12 July and will run through 28 July (swimming events begin 21 July).
Coming off their success at the just-concluded NatWest International Island Games in Gibraltar, they will be up against the world’s best swimmers, with Embury-Brown competing in the 800m and 400m freestyle and Crooks racing the 200m and 100m freestyle.
Hew and Fraser spent the early weeks of their summer training in the US and are ready to “Dive into Peace”, the FINA World Championships slogan, stated a Cayman Islands Aquatic Sports Association (CIASA) press release. Recently completing her freshman year at Florida State University, Hew is excited to race in a 50m pool this summer and will be competing in the 100m and 50m freestyle, CIASA said.
Fraser, arguably Cayman’s most accomplished swimmer who along with brother Shaune made it to the semifinals of the London Olympics in the 200m freestyle, will also swim the 50m freestyle in his bid to qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
The team of Embury-Brown, Hew, Crooks and Fraser will finish the meet with a mixed 4x100m freestyle relay on the final day of competition. The Cayman Islands team is led by CIASA technical director and coach Bailey Weathers and assisted by team manager Sandy Hew.
All of the swimmers will be hosted at the Athletes Village in the city of Gwangju, with events taking place in the 50m pool at the Nambu University Municipal Aquatics Center.
“This is the World Championships right before the Olympics and is always the fastest meet of the year with swimmers aiming to qualify and set new records. Our swimmers are doing incredibly well considering we do not have a 50 metre pool in Cayman,” Weathers said.
For more information, go to the FINA World Championships website
Glad to see so many qualified.