After braving cold conditions in Florida, a number of Jamaica’s young swimmers will relish the warmth of home when they dive into action at the Y-Speedos Karl Dalhouse Memorial Swim Meet at the National Aquatic Centre today.

The three-day international invitational meet will serve as a qualifier for the Carifta Swimming Championships to be staged in Martinique in March. Action is scheduled to begin at 4:30 pm.

The meet, which is the first major event on the local calendar, has maintained its reputation as one of the best organised meets locally, and is expected to attract a host of the country’s top and rising stars as well as overseas clubs.

Wendy Lee, who took on coaching responsibilities for the group to the short-course swim meet at Saint Andrew’s School in Boca Raton, Florida, last week, believes the swimmers are still some way off from peaking.

Lee, the vice-president of swimming at the Amateur Swimming Association of Jamaica (ASAJ) and head coach of Tornadoes Swim Club, pointed out that meets like the Karl Dalhouse will assist swimmers in their preparation for Carifta.

“In Florida, the swimmers were competing in an outdoor pool in 40-degree weather and they did really well and must be commended for their efforts. Emily MacDonald and Jaden Morales were swimming in their first overseas meet, while Alex Mignott was coming off injury and Abigail Lamey off a six-month break due to exams,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

“The purpose of entering them in the meet is to prepare for Carifta, and my intention was to give them an opportunity to compete in a series of high-level competitions. So the Scotty Invitational, Karl Dalhouse and the Age-group will assist in those preparations as the swimmers have shown that there is room for improvement,” she added.

MacDonald ended as the top performer, winning one and achieving three second-place finishes and a fourth-place finishes in her five events in the girl’s 11-12 category.

Despite MacDonald, Mignott, Lamey, Morales and Alexandra Bernyck gradually improving on times in their respective events, Lee pointed out that a lot of fast times should not be expected for this time of year.

Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Sidrell Williams, Xavier Phillips, Jesse Marsh, Nicholas Vale and Simone Vale also produced creditable performances while representing their respective clubs based in Florida.

“For now the swimmers are in training mode and have not peaked for the season. So the fast times will come, but not as often as they would in the latter stages of the season,” Lee explained.