IT’S ready, set, go for the 28th staging of the CARIFTA Aquatic Championships to be held here in Jamaica with the preliminary heats of the girls’ 800m free style splashing off at 9:00 am at the National Stadium Swimming Pool.

On the opening day, 14 events will take place with all 22 countries represented in the pool, and by the conclusion next Wednesday, with the historic Open Water competition in Discovery Bay, over 500 athletes are expected to make this year’s edition, one of the best.

Martin Lyn, president of the Amateur Swimming Association of Jamaica (ASAJ), told the Jamaica Observer all is ready to host the Caribbean event.

“We are good to go. Our facilities are up and ready, all aspects of CARIFTA are ready. CARIFTA swimming is big, and we expect 18 different countries to come here for what will be one of the largest turnouts in CARIFTA Games history. Our teams are ready, training is going good, and we are looking forward to a great weekend of CARIFTA,” Lyn said earlier.

A 53-strong Jamaican team will participate in three aquatic events in swimming, water polo and the open water events.

Captains Timothy Wynter and Breanna Roman will lead the 34-member squad for the swimming events divided into three categories for boys and girls in 11-12, 13-14 and 15-17.

The female teams are 11-12 — Anjuii Barrett, Annabella Lyn, Jada, Bryanna, Renuart Newell and Llori Sharpe; 13-14 — Annastazia Chin, D’Agaene Clarke, Abigail, Tiara Myrie Lamey, and Angara Sinclair; 15-17 — Zara Bailey, Danielle Boothe, Ivana Chang, Leanne McMaster, and Breanna Roman.

In the male categories, 11-12 — Sean-Douglas Gooden, Jordan Hines, Jesse Marsh, Keegan Rose, Chay Stewart and Nicholas Vale; 13-14 — Christian Alberga, Cameron Anderson, Joseph Black, Bryce Butler, Barak Goren and Xavier Philips; 15-17 — Jason-Craig Burnett, Kevaughn Campbell, Cameron Chow, Matthew Lyn, Sidrell Williams, Timothy Wynter, and Antoine Young.

Last year, Jamaica garnered 32 medals and expectations are this year the team will earn more.

Meanwhile, 11 athletes are down for the Under-15 water polo team, which is coached by Marlon McIntyre. They are — Akil McDonald, Cajae Chung, David Bryan, Dominic Gordon, Giovanni Bell, Javaughan Henry, Joel Parnell, Justin Miller, Russel Gordon, Tahj Thompson, and Xavier Phillips.

The six swimmers that will represent Jamaica in the open water event in Discovery Bay are Nicholas Haughton, Nicolai Johnson and Khaleel Williams in the boys’ 15-17 category, and Marissa Webber in the girls’ 15-17; Darius Smith in the boys’ 13-14 and Jada Brown in the girls’ 13-14.

Last year, in The Bahamas, Jamaica finished a disappointing fifth overall with 497.5 points behind Guadeloupe on 821.5, Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) on 648, The Bahamas on 630, and Aruba on 516 points.

Jamaica’s 32 medals comprising of 10 gold, 16 silver and six bronze were behind Guadeloupe’s 63, with T&T capturing the most gold, 26.

This was a drop from the previous year in Barbados when Jamaica copped 34 medals and finished in fourth place with 561 points. This year, head coach Wendy Lee is expecting an improved performance.

“We always expect to improve, but whether we can achieve it or not, we will see tomorrow. That is our goal to do better than we did last year,” said Lee.

“Our team is strong, but the Caribbean is improving over the years and it is now becoming harder to win,” she noted.

Wynter, who won several medals at the CARIFTA and is a record holder in the backstrokes before, is expected to lead the charge having represented Jamaica in the FINA World Short Course Swimming Championship in Turkey last December.

Roman will be Jamaica’s trump card in the female section and will be stepping up to the 800m freestyle, a change from her shorter events.

“We look forward to the breaststrokes from Breanna and the backstroke from Timothy,” said Lee.