WITH a busy calendar year ahead of them, a number of Jamaica’s young swimmers are working assiduously to move up the ranks.

The young sensations will commence the qualifying process for the 29th Carifta Swimming Championships and the Central American and Caribbean Amateur Swimming Confederation (CCCAN) championships at the Karl Dalhouse Memorial Meet, which will take place over the weekend at the National Aquatics Centre.

The Carifta Championships, which is the first major swim meet for the season, will be staged in Barbados in April, while the CCCAN will take place in San Salvador, El Salvador in June.

And while most should establish the qualifying mark for Carifta, getting to the mark for CCCAN and the Pan American (Pan Am) Games will be even more difficult.

Coach Gillian Millwood explained that Nicholas Haughton and Kevaughn Campbell, who will both be swimming their last year in the 15-17 age group, should headline the medal prospects.

“These guys know that it’s their last year at this level, so they are really pushing to go forward and represent the country and do best times,” Millwood told the Jamaica Observer.

“Kevaughn is looking to get on the Pan Am relay team, so he needs to do under a minute and 10 seconds in his 100 breaststroke. He is competing against Xavier Phillips, who is currently in Florida for that spot to go and represent at Pan Am,” she added.

Joseph Black, Bryce Butler and Sean-Douglas Gooden have also been maintaining good forms ahead of their transition to 15-17 age group.

“Bryce has been doing some good work and Sean-Douglas has been recovering from last year. He (Sean) didn’t have a great performance at Carifta last year, but he is working this year and he is looking forward to it. Joseph is our main representative now with the 50-metre free (freestyle) and with his talent and the hard work this year, he has really stepped up since the experience he has got from being in Doha,” Millwood revealed.

Alex Mignott, who has excelled at the 200-metre butterfly and the 1,500 and 400-metre freestyle, along with Jordane Payne, has done some excellent work and is hoping to progress even further. Payne and Joel Wilkinson will make a transition to 13-14 this year.

Jonathan Lyn, Kyle Sinclair and Rajiv Redhi have all made a move up from the junior squad and are also aiming to outdo themselves to book a spot on the Carifta team.

Angara Sinclair, who has the opportunity to be the first local 15-17 young lady to go under one minute and 10 seconds for the 100-metre backstroke, and under two minutes and 30 seconds for the 200-metre backstroke, is the headliner among the female swimmers.

Naomi Eaton, who just missed out on the opportunity to represent at Carifta last year, is currently under the radar, and if she remains in form, will be a medal contender at Carifta and CCCAN.

Britney Williams, Sage Sinclair, Llori Sharpe and Anastasia Chin, who is recovering from a shoulder injury, are also among the local-based up-and-coming talents.