Swimming records broken at Nationals
Swimmers ready for action at the Nationals
(CNS Local Life): Several national and Cayman Islands Aquatic Sports Association (CIASA) records were broken at the annual CIASA National Championship, held 15-18 February 2018 and marking the single largest competitive swimming competition of the year in the 25m short course. For four days every February, qualifying heats take place every morning with finals each evening and medal ceremonies at the end of each day.
CIASA technical director Bailey Weathers said of the results: “New records have become harder and harder to achieve after twenty years of very accomplished swimmers, which make these new records very impressive.” The following swimmers broke records: Jillian Crooks, Sabine Ellison, Allyson Belfonte, Lila Higgo, Jake Alberga and Stefano Bonati.
Swimmers competed in age groups 8 and under, 9-10 years, 11-12 years, 13-14 years and 15-17 years in both male and female races, held at the Camana Bay Aquatic Centre.
“The Nationals are designed to simulate the CARIFTA Games schedule so our swimmers know what to expect in April,” explained Weathers, in a CIASA press release. The Nationals are the last opportunity for CIASA’s swimmers to achieve qualifying times for CARIFTA.
CIASA president Michael Lockwood, added, “The main reason we have this event is to give our swimmers a taste of the prelims and finals format, giving them the opportunity to race in the morning to qualify and then compete in the finals every afternoon. The Nationals are good experience to help prepare our swimmers for international meets that follow the same format, such as CARIFTA.”
CIASA director Steve Broadbelt noted that the only technical difference between the CIASA Nationals and CARIFTA is the size of the pool. “CARIFTA is always hosted at a 50m pool and we are not able to prepare our swimmers for that until we build a 50m pool in Cayman,” he said.
Swimmers in the 8 and under age group competed only on Saturday and Sunday mornings as timed finals. The younger swimmers are always included in Nationals to inspire their future athletic ambitions, stated the release.
At the opening ceremony David Wight, Councillor for Ministry of Education, Youth & Sports, commended CIASA. “It is wonderful to see the efforts in this country to raise children who feel powerful and confident in the water,” he said, thanking the coaches and praising the swimmers. “Remember to always give it your all, there will be days that you may not win, but being a winner is about your attitude in and out of the water,” he said.
