Jamaica’s young sensations made a positive start to their Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ASATT) Invitational Championships campaign as they bagged 10 medals on Thursday the first day of action at the National Aquatic Centre in Couva.

Representatives from three of Jamaica’s four clubs on show combined to claim five silver and five bronze medals, and are already on their way to bettering last year’s haul of 19 medals.

Y-Speedos accounted for six of the medals with the Rory Alvaranga-coached Kaizen claiming two along with Marlins Swim Club.

The 26-member team comprising mostly debuntates achieved a number of personal best times much to the delight of their coaches.

One of the main objectives ahead of the four-day meet was to better their previous times ahead of the Carifta Swimming Championships to be hosted in Jamaica next year and the inaugural UANA Championships.

The Jamaican medal-winning show got on the road courtesy of Zachary Randle of Y-Speedos, who clocked 22:16.75 minutes for second in the boys’ 11-12 1,500-metre freestyle. The event was won by Nikolai Blackman (18:24.21) of Marlins Trinidad and Tobago.

Kyle Sinclair, also of Y-Speedos, followed shortly after in the boys’ 13-14 1,500m freestyle, clocking 19:41.54 minutes for third behind winner Delroy Tyrell (18:24.07).

Another Y-Speedos representative in Jordane Payne also copped bronze in the boys’ 15 and over 1,500m freestyle in 18:51.32 minutes.

The Y-Speedos trend was briefly halted and the Marlins Swim Club 9-10 pair of Christanya Shirley (37.27secs) and Kokolo Foster (37.53secs) took silver and bronze in the girls’ 50m backstroke. Joy Blackett won the event in 36.32secs.

Kaizen’s standout swimmer Zaneta Alvaranga added another silver to Jamaica’s tally when she clocked 34.43secs in the girls’ 11-12 50m backstroke, behind Neishalah Caseman (34.32secs).

Sinclair then returned to cop bronze in the boys’ 13-14 50m backstroke in a time of 29.79 seconds. Jayhan Odlum-Smith (29.19secs) and Aqeel Joseph (29.30secs) were first and second, respectively.

Alvaranga earned her second medal of the day in the 200m butterfly, clocking 3:03.88 minutes for third. Zoe Anthony of Marlins Trinidad and Tobago won the event in 2:56.02 minutes.

Karci Gibson then brought the curtains down on the successful day for Jamaica when she claimed double silver in the girls’ 13-40 200m butterfly and 400m individual medley (IM), respectively.

She clocked 2:50.80 minutes behind Jahima Harley (2:34.88) in the butterfly and 5:45.45 minutes behind Jada Chatoor (5:31.93) in the IM.