Ten of Jamaica’s top young swimmers left the island yesterday to take part in the Central American and Caribbean Amateur Swimming Confederation (CCCAN) Championships in Puerto Rico from Wednesday to Sunday.

The team, which is one of the smallest to represent the island in recent times, partly due to the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, is full of promise, with expectations that there will be a significant, high-quality medal haul in the offing.

President of the Aquatic Sports Association of Jamaica (ASAJ) Martin Lyn was delighted that swimming had resumed on the island in order to help prepare and select the team to the championships.

“It gave the swimmers a chance to prepare and it is a fairer way to select a team; it gives everyone a fair chance,” said Lyn of the chance afforded by the Government to host the Time Trial Series that was used to make the final selection of the team.

Five meets were held over a six-week period, where swimmers performed really well with a number of personal best times and new records being registered.

The final in a series of time trials totalling five hosted by the ASAJ at the National Aquatic Centre (NAC) was held on the weekend.

The events, which were approved by all regulatory agencies, were held without spectators over the past few weeks.

One of the standout swimmers at the series was Leanna Wainwright. After flirting with the 100m backstroke national age group record over three stagings, Wainwright finally lowered the mark in her fourth trial while swimming alone. Wainwright stopped the clock at 1:07.69 minutes to better the old mark of 1:08.19 minutes previously held by Kendese Nangle set back in 2008.

The team will feature Zaviya Cameron, the lone 11-12 female, with Zack-Andre Johnson and Waldon McIntosh the males in the 11-12 age group.

The 13-14 girls feature Christanya Shirley, Giani Francis, and Leanna Wainwright and on the boys’ side Nelson Denny. The 15-17s will be without female representation, but the Kaizen duo of Kito Campbell and Kaheem Lozer will participate, while Sidrel Williams will compete in the 18 and over age group.

A look at the Psych Sheet shows Cameron ranked first in the 11-12 girls’ 50m freestyle and Lozer first in the 15-17 boys’ 50m butterfly. A few of the members of the team are ranked in the top eight which will bring Jamaica good points should they make it out of the preliminary round and into the final.

The event takes the top eight finishers in the prelims for the finals and is an International Swimming Federation (FINA)-sanctioned event as an Olympic qualifier.