USA-based Zarek Wilson continued T&T’s impressive display in the pool when he stormed to victory in the men’s 100 metres butterfly final in a new games record time at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games at the National Aquatic Centre in Balmain Couva, on Tuesday night.
The 18-year-old Wilson who trains with Dynamo Swim Club, in Atlanta, Georgia raced to the wall in 53.70 from lane to better the previous record of 53.87 set by Wales’ Lewis Fraser at the 2017 edition of the Games in the Bahamas.
Second to the wall for the silver medal was England’s Nick Finch in 53.95 while South Africa’s Dylan Eaton had to settle for the bronze medal in 54.41.
The other finishers in the eight-man final were Bahamian Nigel Forbes in 54.57, Scotland’s Stefan Krawiec in 54.74, New Zealnder Caleb Carlisle in 55.00 Singapore’s Randall Neo (55.38), and Scotland’s Dean Fearn in 55.64.
It was the second medal in two nights for Wilson, who on Monday got silver in the 50m backstroke, while it carried T&T’s medal haul in the pool to four, with Nikoli Blackman, swimming to two gold medals so far, and the tally at the CYG so far to six, with Janae De Gannes getting silver in the women’s long jump on Monday night, and sprinter Sanaa Frederick, bronze in the women’s 100m final at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, in Mucurapo.
Yesterday, in the morning session, Wilson, who has committed to the University of Alabama topped the fourth of five heats in men’s 100m butterfly in 54.10, with Krawiec, a distant second in 55.68 to be the two qualifiers from the heat for the final.
Finch also touched the wall in a time of 54.10 to win heat four for a share of the fastest qualifying time with Wilson, followed by Forbes (54.95), Neo (54.99), and Fearn (55.35) who all qualified while in heat three, Eaton won in 54.85, and was joined in the gold medal splash by Carlisle who was second in the heat in 55.30.
On Monday night, the 17-year-old Wilson, who trains with Dynamo Swim Club, in Atlanta, Georgia, and has committed to the University of Alabama got to the wall in the men’s 50m backstroke final in 26.18 seconds to trail champion and new games record holder Matthew Ward of Scotland who touched the wall in 25.51 to lower his previous record established in the morning heats, while Bahamian Nigel Forbes earned the bronze medal in 26.32.
Wednesday, Wilson and Blackman will look to add more silverware to the T&T haul when they close compete in the men’s 50m freestyle.
On Sunday last, 18-year-old Blackman who leaves for the University of Tennessee in the USA next week won this country’s first-ever gold medal in the men’s 200m freestyle in a new personal best time of one minute, 49.94 seconds, and on Monday, the former St Anthony’s College and Fatima College student, added the 100m freestyle title in 49.60 seconds.
Samaroo, James advances to Men’s Sprint semis
Local cyclists, Syndel Samaroo, and Danell James will ride in the men’s Sprint semifinal at the National Cycling Centre in Balmain, Couva from 1 pm Wednesday.
When the qualifying event took place yesterday, Samaroo was timed at 10.706 seconds over the flying 200m to finish in the second spot, behind Australian Tayte Ryan who clocked 10.670 as both men advanced straight to the semifinals.
James was the third best in the qualifying heats in 10.794 and in his quarterfinal against sixth-placed qualifier, Jitendra Jadhav, who qualified in 11.988, the T&T cyclist won in two straight rides, in 11.231 seconds, and 11.413 seconds to secure his place in today’s semifinal while Malaysia’s Darwish Muhd Sanusi won his quarterfinal with Wales’ William Salter in three rides to complete today’s semifinal quartet.
In the women’s sprint, T&T’s Makaira Wallace with a time of 12.115, and Alexia Wilson in 13.089 were the fifth, and seventh best in the eight-competitor qualifiers.
And in the quarterfinals, Wallace was swept by Australian Liliya Tatarinoff in similar times of 12.210 in both rides, while Wilson was beaten by Malaysia’s Ann Tung Yong, in 12.207, and 12.396.
The pair of Neaves and Titus Bharat ended in the ninth, and tenth positions respectively in the men’s 3,000 metres Individual Pursuit.
Neaves clocked three minutes, 53.426 seconds in losing his qualifying heat to Welshman Max Burton who was timed at 3:28.033 minutes for the fifth spot, while Bharat crossed the line in 4:07.115 minutes in his defeat against India’s Aashirwad Saxena who crossed the finish in 3:35.823 for the eighth spot.
Volleyballers Johnson, Roberts finish 10th
At the Black Rock Facility, Tobago, T&T beach volleyball duo Meeka Johnson, and L’fe Roberts and Jahreef Miguel and Jerome Morrison enjoyed mixed fortunes in their final matches.
The pair of Johnson and Roberts had to settle for the tenth spot after losing to Rwanda’s Claire Uwase, and her sister Hygette Uwase 20-22, 14-21 in their ninth to tenth playoff while Vanuatu’s Stephanie Joel and Eleno Moule beat Cayman Islands’ sisters, Brianna Delapenha, and Anjia Delapenha 21-19, 21-7 for 11th spot.
And in the men’s competition, T&T’s Jahreef Miguel, and Jerome Morrison won their 11th-place match against Gambians Sanusi Jawara, and Bubacarr Semega by default.
T&T rugger men, women finish 6th
Both T&T men and women rugby teams finished in the sixth spot when the Rugby Sevens competition concluded at Shaw Park Sporting Complex, in Scarborough, on Tuesday.
In their playoff for the fifth spot, T&T went under to Jamaica 5-12 with Aaron Stanley scoring the lone try in the second half for the host, after Brandon Gordon’s try, and a try and conversion from Racheed Anthony Pencle had given the visitors a 12-0 lead.
Earlier in the morning, in their final round-robin match, the T&T men were banished by Scotland 5-43 with Aaron Stanley scoring the lone try in the second half for the hosts who trailed 0-26 at the half-time interval.
Scotland got two tries each from Hugo Alderson, and Ross Burnie while Jack Craig and Bobbie Baird added a try each, Ben Morriss, a try and conversion, and Matthew Uriwn, three of four conversions.
And in the women’s playoffs, Wales relegated the host to the cellar spot with a thumping 50-0, their second over T&T in successive matches.
For the Welshwomen, the trio of Hannah Marshall, Catrin Stewart, and Hanna Lane ran in two tries each, and the pair of Branwen Metcalf, and Ffion Davies, one each.
Marshall also registered three of four conversions, and Katie Bevans, two of three.
When both teams faced off in their final round-robin match earlier in the morning, Wales also won handsomely, 66-0 with Lane, Poppy Ellis, and Seren Lockwood registering two tries apiece for the Europeans.
Marshall was the main scorer for the Scots with two tries and four conversions, with Rhiannon Griffin chipping in with one try, and two conversions, Davies, with one try, and Katie Bevan, with two conversions in the one-sided contest.
At the Buccoo Beach Facility, the T&T mixed triathlon pair of James Stephen Castagne-Hay, 17, and Jenae-Marie Price, 16, placed 17th of 19 competitors with a time of 47 minutes, 29 seconds.
Australian duo, Jack Latham, and Aspen Anderson, the individual women’s winner, combined for the gold medal in 40.58 minutes, with Scotland’s Alex Robin and Jessica Heeps earning the silver medal in 41.23, and Jersey’s Luke Holmes, and Siena Stephens, bronze in 41.37.
