The pair of Zara Persico and Aimee Le Blanc splashed to new record times on the opening day of the Aquatics Sports Association of T&T (ASATT) Invitational Swimming Championships on Thursday at the National Aquatic Centre in Balmain, Couva.
Representatives from 12 foreign teams from the region participated but it did not prevent the brilliance of the Marlin Swim Club duo on the day. Persico, contesting her very first event of the championships, the girls' 11-12 1,500 metres freestyle, was in ominous form as she sprinted to a time of 19 minutes and 44.54 seconds for the gold medal, shattering the previous 20:28.91 that was set by Le Blanc last year.
Persico finished ahead of her Marlins teammate Marena Martinez, who also dipped under the previous record time with her 19:48.33. Persico later claimed the silver medal in the 50m backstroke (34.93), finishing behind Amiya Harrison (34.15) while Asia-Marie Pouchet (35.07) was third.
Le Blanc had her moment of glory came later when she splashed to a new time in the girls' 13-14 1,500m freestyle when she touched the wall at 19:06.42 for the silver medal. She had to give way to Madison Mac Millan who posted a jaw-dropping 18:50.13 for the gold medal while representing Vipers from Antigua.
Le Blanc was also a silver medal winner in the 200m butterfly in 2:50.24. Keryn Burke of Atlantis Aquatics sealed the gold medal by posting a time of 2:47.05 while Mila Festini of Wadadli Aquatics Racers (WAR) in Antigua was third.
Isabelle Mayers of Alpha Sharks Swim Club in Barbados secured third place and resulting bronze medal in 19:18.79.
Meanwhile, Amelia Rajack also had the perfect start to the championships, securing three medals (one gold and two silvers) from the girls' 15 & over 400m individual medley, the 200m freestyle and the 1,500m freestyle.
Rajack first claimed the silver medal in the 1,500m freestyle in 19:12.75, to finish behind the eventual gold medal winner Kiara Goodridge (19:11.50) of Barbados. She then secured the silver medal in the 200m butterfly (2:24.99) behind Sydney Look Fong of Petrotrin Barracudas Swim Club (PBSC) in 2:38.81.
Her third medal of the day was in her pet event- the 400m individual medley, where she stopped the clock comfortably at 5:47.05 for the gold medal, with Madara Edwards (6:06.55) and Maidan Edwards (6:07.02) taking second and third, respectively.