Local swimmer Kimberlee John-Williams and England-based Christian Homer both set new records as the 25th Carifta Games Swimming, Water Polo and Synchronised Swimming Championship splashed off at the National Stadium Pool, Independence Park, Kingston, Jamaica, yesterday morning. With a sea of national colours strewn across the bleachers of the Olympic size pool venue on the first morning of preliminaries, it was the 35-member team of defending champion and 19th time winner, T&T, smartly decked in red, white and black, who established themselves once again as the team to beat by qualifying for many events in last night's first afternoon of finals.
John-Williams, who bagged six gold medals last year in Aruba, set a new Girls 15-17 Carifta, national and open record in the 50 metres backstroke of 30.53 seconds, which also qualified her for the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Puerto Rico in July. Homer erased his own 15-17 Boys record of 27.45 in the 50 metres backstroke establishing a new mark of 26.93. Teammate Cadell Lyons qualified in second spot with a time of 28.15. John Williams (1:07.83) and compatriot Kadeja Phillip (1:08.30) also finished one-two in the 15-17 Girls' 100 metres butterfly. In the boys' equivalent, Lyons was the second best qualifier in 57.72 and Homer fourth 58.11.
USA-based Tyla Martin made a winning debut too as she was unbeatable in her two preliminary events. First up was Martin, who was the 11-12 Girls 50 metres backstroke fastest qualifier in 32:63, while fellow national swimmer Katherine Keane was 12th in 36.86. Martin then won the 100 metres butterfly heats in 1:07.83. Countrywoman Syriah David qualified in fifth spot in a personal best of 1:13.49. In the 200 metres breaststroke, David qualified second overall in 3:05.51, while Jessica Gay just missed out on a place in the final, when she touched the wall ninth in 3:12.21. Jeron O'Brien comfortably qualified for the 13-14 Boys' 200 metres breaststroke in third spot in a personal best 2:39.99.
Samantha Rahael (2:48.93) and Rejan Chin (2:49.94) signalled their intention for the podium by placing in the 15-17 Girls' 200 metres breaststroke heats, while Abraham Mc Leod was third (2:37.93) and Ryan Rigues (2:42.40) eighth in the boys equivalent to secure their places in the final. In the 11-12 Boys' 50 metres backstroke, Jabari Baptiste (31.46) and Revash Ramtahal (34.87) were the second and seventh fastest qualifiers for the final. T&T was also successful in the 100 metre butterfly with Baptiste's win topping the qualifiers in a personal best 1:06.88. Joshua Ramkissoon was seventh in a personal best 1:10.93.
Last year's top performer at the Games, Dylan Carter, who won eight gold medals and established three records, is the top medal contender among the 13-14 Boys' after his preliminary swim of 59.84 in the 100m butterfly, while Romany was fourth in 1:01.90. The lone relay heat contested by T&T so far saw the 15-17 girls' quartet of Rahael, Cherelle Thompson, Simone Maundy and Phillip winning in 4:12.51.