Setting new personal best times was at the top of the agenda for some of the local junior swimmers who competed this past weekend, in the Swift/Gunite Invitational at the Betty Kelly-Kenning National Swim Complex. Even though the CARIFTA Swimming Championships and other international competitions sit high on their agenda, swimmers used the annual Swift event to see exactly where they are.

With this being the second meet of the year, Andy Knowles, head coach of the Swift Swimming Club, wasn't expecting too many swimmers to obtain CARIFTA qualifying times, but applauded those who did. Knowles said coaches like himself, use these meets as a guide for training. He believes many more swimmers will qualify for the CARIFTA Swimming Championships, that will take place March 30-April 2 in Kingston, Jamaica. "This meet shows exactly where the kids are at," said Knowles.

"We don't have that many kids who are swimming at their peak right now so you won't see a lot of qualifying times for CARIFTA and other swimming championships. A lot of the swimmers weren't swimming during the Christmas holidays, so they are now just trying to get back to doing their best times, but we did have a few people who made the CARIFTA times. "Overall it was a good meet, a good mini-nationals.

I think people like the idea of swimming in the races and then having the finals later on. There is a timed final for the longer races, and then the 50s and 100s, the shorter races, you swim in the morning and then the top eight come back and race in the final in the night. Right now, I think that we are the only club that does a meet this way. It is fun to see kids match up against their peers, so that format works well.

We had all the age groups in the morning, you swim against your time. Based on your time, you move on. The response of persons coming back has been great, and we look forward to hosting more events." The annual meet hosted swimmers from New Providence, Grand Bahama and Abaco. In the end, Swift Swimming Club accumulated 1,439 points to win the meet in grand style. The Barracudas Swim Club was second with 769 points and the unattached group featuring swimmers from Swift Swimming finished third with 352 points.

A total of 210 points was earned by swimmers from the Abaco Swim Club, the Dolphin Swim Club scored 139.50 points and the Sea Bees Swim Club scored 94 points. Alpha Aquatics and Team Orca had totals of 44.50 points and 17 points respectively. More than 230 swimmers competed in eight divisions. In the girls eight-and-under division, Liya Moncur, representing Swift Swimming, scored 61 points and took top honors. A total of 43 points was scored by Kiana Hicks and Marissa Albury accumulated 27 points for second and third place respectively.

Winning the eight-and-under boys division was Jake Thompson. His teammate Erald Thompson was second and Carter Albury finished third. Jake Thompson closed the meet with 63 points and Erald Thompson's total was 38 points, four more than Albury. Members of the Swift Swimming Club swept the two top spots in the 9-10 girls' division. Cecile Bowe and Anya MacPhail scored 70 and 61 points respectively, for the one-two punch in that division.

Jewel Pinder and Taylor Albury, both of the Abaco Swim Club, were the third and fourth place finishers respectively. Pinder accumulated 46 points, and Albury had 32 points. Only three points separated the first and second place swimmers in the 9-10 boys' division. Trent Albury racked up 59 points and Kevon Lockhart scored 56 points. Davonte Carey finished with 55 points and captured the third spot.

The top honors in the 11-12 girls' division went to Celia Campbell of Swift Swimming. Campbell scored 79 points and Amber Pinder of the Barracuda Swimming Club had a total of 50 points, for second. Placing third in the division was Lilly Higgs, of Swift Swimming. She accumulated 47 points. A double-punch in the 11-12 boys' division was delivered by Luke Thompson and Peter Morley, both of Swift Swimming. Thompson topped all swimmers with 73 points, while Morley and Samuel Gibson scored 59 points each for second.

Joanna Evans closed the meet with 73 points, Margaret Higgs scored 58 points and Doran Reed scored 52 points in the 13-and-over girls' division. A total of 57 points by Anibal Hernandez-Valdes was enough to give him the win in the 13-and-over boys' division. Kohen Kerr was second and Gershwin Greene finished third with 49 and 43 points respectively. Swift Swimming Club would like to thank all the swimmers, coaches, officials and parents who made the swim meet a success.

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