Swimmers improve medal tally to 15 at Carifta Champs
After copping nine medals on Saturday’s first day, Jamaica’s national age-group swim team improved their medal tally to 15 at the end of Day Two of the 30th Carifta Swimming Championships at the Barbados Aquatic Centre, Barbados, on Sunday.
The Jamaicans entered the pool fully charged and turned in some electrifying performances to capture six medals from 17 finals.
They won one gold, three silver and two bronze, bringing the overall tally to one gold, five silver and nine bronze which placed them in the top five on 225 points, behind The Bahamas (405.50), Barbados (316.50), Trinidad & Tobago (276) and Guadeloupe (238).
Jamaica’s first medal came in the 15-17 girls’ 200-metre freestyle where Michelle Dols was third in 2:10.92 minutes, behind record-breaker Joanna Evans (2:03.00) of The Bahamas and Hannah Gill (2:09.81) of Barbados.
Nico Campbell then clocked 1:54.62 minutes for silver in the boys’ equivalent behind Alex Sobers (1:54.40) of Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago’s Emil Goin (1:57.12).
Angara Sinclair claimed another medal when she placed second in the 15-17 girls’ 100-metre backstroke in 1:09.13 minutes behind Charlotte Backovic (1:07.46) of Guadeloupe and Shannon Hassell (1:09.32) of Bermuda.
The Jamaican camp was once again set alight when 12-year-old Karci Gibson placed third in the 11-12 400-metre Individual Medley. Gibson stopped the clock at 5:44.07 minutes behind the Barbadian pair of Danielle Titus (5:37.51) and Ashley Weekes (5:40.92).
The Jamaicans then closed the day in style as the 11-12 girls’ team clocked a fast 4:59.36 minutes to mine their first gold medal in the 400-metre medley relay. They won ahead of Guadeloupe (5:00.39) and Barbados (5:00.80).
The 15-17 girls’ clocked 4:40.55 minutes, but had to settle for silver in their event behind The Bahamas (4:35.63) and Trinidad & Tobago (4:40.86).
Jamaica’s 11-12 girls’ 400-metre medley relay team show off their gold medals.
(From left) Jamaica’s Michelle Dols, Ivana Chang, Leanne McMaster and Angara Sinclair display the Jamaican flag while standing on the podium after finishing second in the 15-17 girls’ 400-metre medley relay at the Barbados Aquatic Centre in Barbados on Sunday. (PHOTOS: MICHAEL LYN)
