ST JAMES, Jamaica – Despite difficulties in their preparation, three western Jamaica swimmers will be travelling with the national squad to compete in the 2023 CARIFTA Swimming Championship which will take place in Curacao from April 5 to 10.

The three western Jamaica swimmers who will be a part of the 26-member squad are: 15-year-old Benjamin Davis of Cornwall College, 14-year-old Leah Chin of Mount Alvernia High School and 11-year-old Rhys Hunter of Mt Alvernia Preparatory and Kindergarten.

The three swimmers are coached by Cuban-born Adolfo Morales Claro.

This is the second consecutive year that Davis and Chin will be competing at the regional championships. During the 2022 games, held in Barbados, Davis earned a silver medal in the 13-14 boys 1500m freestyle and a bronze medal in the boys 13-14 800m freestyle.

At the time he also lowered his own national age-group mark for the 13-14 boys’ 800m freestyle. He also copped four additional relay silver medals.

Chin took home two gold and one bronze relay medals.

This is the first CARIFTA Games for Hunter, and he is pumped up and raring to represent his country.

Coach Morales is optimistic that his charges will again perform brilliantly despite the difficulties they have in their preparation.

The absence of proper facilities for training continues to plague the swimmers from western Jamaica. However, Coach Morales is grateful to the management of Sea Garden Hotel and Doctors Cave Beach who afford his swimmers the privilege of training at their respective facilities.