The Barbados Amateur Swimming Association is pleased to announce that the 2018 BASA LC National Swimming Championships (Feb 27 – Mar 4) as well as the 27th Aquatic Centre International (May 25 – 27) have both been approved by FINA as official qualifying events for the Youth Olympic Games, taking place in Buenos Aires, Argentina in October.
The Barbados Team taking part in the upcoming inaugural UANA Swimming Cup in Coral Springs, Florida are making final preparations for what should prove to be an exciting start to the 2018 season of competition. The UANA Cup features a dual meet between the twelve National Federation members of CONSANAT and the twenty-eight National Federation members of CCCAN, with athletes scoring points for their regional associations. The rivalries created by this concept will undoubtedly bring spirit and enthusiasm, as well as outstanding performances in the pool.
Representing Team Barbados are:
11-12 Age Group: Adia Deane & Omari Sealy
13-14 Age Group: Aza Dunwoody, Keilani Talma, Danielle Treasure, Zahra Gaskin, Roan Baker, McCallum Clarke, Tristan Prangell, Kai Trotman & Neil Skinner
15-17 Age Group: Danielle Titus, McKayla Treasure, Nkosi Dunwoody, Jack Kirby, Luis-Sebastian Weekes & Damon St. Prix.
Head Coach: Aisha Norville; Assistant Coach: Ancille Inniss, Team Manager: Andrea Titus; Chaperone: Deborah Talma
This week the Barbados team accepted a generous donation of fleece jackets and pants from our corporate friends at Paints Plus, and we extend a special “thank you” to Mr. Kyle Smith and the management of the company for their support.
The team will leave Barbados on Wednesday morning and the meet takes place from January 19th – 21st. We wish them all the best of luck!!
Aunty Mads, Swim Coach to Countless – December 10th, 2017 – by Nicki Hunte.
Yesterday, Saturday 9th of December 2017, the swimming fraternity lost a long-standing and beloved member of the family. We are sorry to share the news that our dear friend Madelaine Mercure is no longer with us. In addition to being a swim coach, Madelaine was also part of the Aquatic Centre’s first management team in the early 1990s.
For over 27 years, Madeline and Nicki Hunte together ran the Pirates Learn to Swim Club. This fit with her love of water as she was also a huge sailing enthusiast. Her approach to running the club was always very professional, feeling a real sense of responsibility for the task parents were entrusting the club with. Her dedication showed by her unwillingness to ever cancel a class, so on several occasions classes were taught through heavy showers, and storms, even if only one child attended. Her generous and compassionate nature was reflected when any parent had financial difficulty, the child was never turned away. She really loved children and genuinely wanted to see them succeed and be equipped with the vital skill of knowing how to swim.
Madeline found she had a special place in her heart for the youngest children. In 1999 this led to her beginning an innovative new Parent-Toddler swim class that allowed little ones to become water safe. Every Saturday morning she could be seen heading into the Aquatic Center, a huge bag of noodles on her a shoulder, a smile on her face and an eagerness to get the classes started. Because of her drive to teach, countless Barbadians are now well equipped to take on the water, whether in a competitive or recreational capacity.
Madeline was forced into retirement because of her illness, she knew that she had to put every ounce of energy into trying to get well. She knew she would not be able to keep up the level of commitment and passion needed to run the club through this difficult time. It is on this very sad day that we announce that she has lost that battle, and has now sailed on.
The Barbados team for the 2017 Goodwill Swim Meet has been ratified, and final preparations are underway for the event which will be held from August 18 to 21, at the National Aquatic Centre in Liliendaal, Guyana.
GIRLS: Rylan Marville, Jaiya Simmons, Allysa Roachford, Xian Trotman
BOYS: Matthew DaCosta-Hinds, Chaddain Sandiford, Jun Mikami, Tariq Greenidge
GIRLS: Kenyah Deane, Heidi Baker, Chelsie Deane, Toni Walrond
BOYS: Khaleb Gaskin, Amani Millar, Charlie, Williams, Joshua Ross
GIRLS: Amelie Baker, Kyla Beckles, Takiyah Weekes, Adara Stoddard
BOYS: Cian Hickey
GIRLS: Shirkeitha Hunte, Chara Hinds, Zoe Taylor, Nyomi Boxhill
BOYS: Eric Lashley, Niel Skinner, Jack Kelshall, Nathaniel Roach
GIRLS: Rebecca Lashley
BOYS: Keon Jessamy, Matthew Mayers, Kyron Richards, Xavier Straughn
HEAD COACH: Darny Olalde Hernandez
ASSISTANT COACHES: Ancille Inniss, Russell Walton
TEAM MANAGER: Trisha Millar
CHAPERONES: Kathleen Beckles, Anthony Walrond, Gail-Ann Weekes
Barbados’ aquatic fraternity can be proud of the stellar performance of our swim team at CCCAN 2017 in Trinidad! The team brought home a total haul of 31 medals (Individual: 9 gold, 8 silver, 10 bronze. Relay: 4 bronze), 1 new CCCAN Record, 1 new National Bdos Record, and 8 new Bdos Age Group Records. Collectively our swim team placed 5th overall, out of a total of 23 Caribbean and Central American countries.
Below is a breakdown of the team’s accomplishments:
Zachary Taylor
Kai Trotman
Aza Dunwoody
Keliani Talma
Nkosi Dunwoody
Tristan Pragnell
Danielle Titus
Ashley Weekes
Jack Kirby
Luis-Sebastian Weekes
Alex Sobers
Christopher Courtis
Lani Cabrera
11-12 Mixed 200m Relay: Bdos Age Group Record (1:53.03) – Z. Taylor, A. Deane, A. Dunwoody, K. Trotman
13-14 Mixed Relays: Bdos Age Group Record (1:49.38) – M. Clarke, D. Titus, A. Weekes, N. Dunwoody
11-12 Girls 400m Freestyle Relay: BRONZE (4:19.38) – A. Deane, K. Talma, K. Renwick, A. Dunwoody)
11-12 Boys 400m Freestyle Relay: Bdos Age Group Record (4:08.66) -C. Pollard, K. Trotman, O.Sealy, Z. Taylor
12-14 Girls 400m Freestyl Relay: BRONZE (4:10.85) – A. Weekes, Z. Gaskin, D. Treasure, D. Titus
11-12 Boys 400m Medley Relay: BRONZE & Bdos Age Group Record (4:35.17) – C. Pollard, Z. Taylor, O. Sealy, K. Trotman
15-17 Boys 400m Medley Relay: BRONZE (4:02.60) – J. Kirby, J. Walrond, L-S. Weekes, D. St.Prix
Despite the windy conditions, swimmers got to enjoy a bright and sunny morning of swimming in Carlisle Bay, for the 2017 BASA Open Water Classic 5K and 1.25K races.
17 competitors participated in the 5K race, including CCCAN open water swimmers Nathaniel Roach, Eric Lashley & Danielle Clarke. Young Nathaniel & Eric led the men the entire race, and were first to hit the board at the end with times of 1:10.17 and 1:10.23 respectively. Danielle was the first female to cross the finish line with a time of 1:18.15.
In the 1.25K race a total of 50 swimmers took to the crystal blue waters of Carlisle Bay. On the men’s side the pack was led the entire race by the foursome of Luis-Sebastian Weekes, Jack Kirby, Nkosi Dunoody and Karsten Marsten, who subsequently finished in that same order (15.56, 16.05, 16.08, & 16.22) . The ladies were brought home by Danielle Treasure in a time of 19.59, with Takiyah Weekes (20.08) & CCCAN open water swimmer Amelie Baker (20.09) taking second and third respectively.
Here are the complete age group results and times for the day’s events.
BASA OPEN WATER CLASSIC 2017 – RESULTS
View more images from the day on our Facebook page.
