Pictured in this photograph at the Grantley Adams Int’l Airport prior to departure are:
L-r: Zabrina Holder, Amara Gibbs, Lee-Ann Rose and Coach Enrico Mcconney. Matthew Courtis joins the team in London for onward travel to the Isle of Man.
Three of the 4 swimmers representing Barbados at the 4th Commonwealth Youth Games departed Barbados with rest of the Barbados Delegation on Sunday, September 4th bound for the ISLE OF MAN. The three day short course competition will begin on September 9th and conclude on September 11th. The swimming delegation led by Coach Enrico Mcconney is made up of lone male swimmer MATHEW COURTIS, LEE-ANN ROSE, AMARA GIBBS & ZABRINA HOLDER. Among the 4 swimmers 15 events will be contested. They will be competing against 41 other Commonwealth Countries which includes Australia, England, New Zealand, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Africa, Pacific and Caribbean Countries. This meet will be used as a precursor to the Panamercan Games scheduled to be held in Guadalajara from October 13-30th 2011 for which the team has clinched qualifying status.
Matthew Courtis represented Barbados at The Carifta and Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships. He also participated in the Scottish Nationals as well as many local and regional competitions. He will be contesting 6 events:1500 & 400 SCM free, 400 SCM individual medley, 200 SCM butterfly, 200 SCM backstroke and 200 SCM individual medley. He currently holds the Barbados national 15-17 short course record in the 800 & 1500 SCM freestyle events. Matthew also enjoys sailing which he does both competitively and for leisure and has acquired enough knowledge and experience which he shares as a Coach with other youngsters. He also participates in biathlons and loves to read and study as the basis for enhancing his store of knowledge.
Lee Ann Rose’s highlight in the sport so far has been her qualification and participation in the inaugural Youth Olympics in Singapore last year. Rose also clinched qualifying status for the CAC Games held in Mayaguez , Puerto Rico and was part of the record breaking relay to establish a new women’s open national record. In addition, Rose has represented Barbados at the Carifta and Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships and CCCAN and has participated in many regional competitions and all local championships. Rose currently holds the women’s open national short course record in the 100 backstroke and the 100 & 200 SCM 15-17 backstroke records. When not swimming Lee-Ann watches television, draws, enjoys drama, skateboarding, dancing and a good laugh. She has also listed social networking, schoolwork and stretching as part of the activities she does when not swimming. Rose will be competing in the all of the backstroke events and the 200 M freestyle.
Participating in her 1st Youth Games outside of the region Zabrina Holder is eagerly looking forward to the competition. Entered to compete in the 50 & 100 SCM butterfly as well as the 200 SCM individual medley at the Youth Games she will be testing her mettle against her youth counterparts in the Commonwealth. Listing climbing trees, shopping & eating to be among her hobbies Holder had a taste of senior open competition at the CAC Games last year where she was one of the 4 females who took part in the record breaking relay performance. She currently has her name stamped on 7 short course women’s open national records and 9 records in the 13-14 age group in the freestyle, butterfly and individual medley which is indicative of the versatility she brings to the sport. Holder never misses an opportunity to represent her Country and has done so quite ably at Carifta, Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships and CCCAN as well. She participates in as many regional meets as possible and at all local championships.
Emerging as equally competent in the butterfly stroke Amara Gibbs has demonstrated that she is a versatile swimmer having made her debut in the backstroke. Indeed she holds the women’s open short course national record in the 200 SCM distance of that stroke and all of the backstroke records in the 13-14 age group. Gibbs will be flexing her versatility in three events-200 SCM butterfly, 200SCM backstroke and the 200 SCM individual medley. This being her first Youth Games outing her initiation at the senior Games had been at the CAC Games in 2010 where she contributed 1/4th of the success towards the record breaking relay performance. Gibbs represented Barbados at several Carifta and Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships, CCCAN as well as participated in several regional invitationals and local meets. Reading is her pastime and when not training she likes to go out with friends, study or simply stay at home with the family and rest.
The team returns home on September 14th
The entire Barbados Delegation is pictured above with Assistant Chef de Mission Gail Craig-Archer and Team Doctor Dr Renee Best at the Grantley Adams International Airport before departure.