Republic anniversary swimming championship underway
The Guyana Amateur Swimming Association’s (GASA) annual Republic Anniversary Swimming Championships splashed off yesterday at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal.
Many of the swimmers began their quest to qualify for the team to represent Guyana at the Carifta Games to be held in Jamaica in March.
On Friday, the distance swimmers took on the challenge of the 1500m freestyle during the morning session, along with the 200m backstroke. In the 1500m freestyle event, two swimmers took to the pool. Noel Culpepper and Daniel Claxton. Swimming in the boys 13-14 age group was Claxton who finished the race in a time of 33:20:22. Culpepper, swam his race in the boys 18 and over age group and finished in a time of 26:18:62.
The other event for the morning was the 200m backstroke. Dorado Swim Club’s Monique Watson was the only girl to swim for the 11-12 age group. She completed the race in a time of 3:10:80. In the male category, Raekwon Noel, representing Swim Academy Sea Otters, took the gold, in a time of 2:51:09. Noel won the race ahead of Dorado’s Vladimir Woodroffe (3:00:44) and Elliott Gonsalves (3:21:57).
In the girls’ 13-14 age group, Donna Carter registered the fastest time in 3:08:12, finishing ahead of Dorado club mate Giselle Crane’s 3:17:11. Dolphin Swim Club’s Sekhel Tzedeq, was the only boy to swim the 200m backstroke race. He finished in a time of 2:44:37.
The only girl in the 18 and over age group, Xiomara Getrouw of Orca Swim Club, completed the race in a time of 2:51:25.
The competition continues today at the National Aquatic Centre, with swimmers taking to the blocks in the 800m freestyle, 200m breaststroke, 200m individual medley (IM), 50m butterfly, 100m freestyle, 50m breaststroke and the 400m freestyle events. Opening the Guyana Table Tennis Association’s (GTTA) year was the Mashramani Junior and Cadet Championships yesterday at the National Gymnasium where participants are trying to make the team for the Caribbean Regional Table Tennis Federation (CRTTF) Junior and Cadet Championships.
On the opening night of the National Sports Commission-sponsored championships, the tables were taken up by the boys and girls under-9 players, with Malachi Moore taking the lead for the boys and Akera Watson taking it home for the girls in the first round. In his opening match, Moore took the lead against Jonathan Cox 9-11, 11-5 and 11-8. He continued on to defeat Case Outar 115,11-6. Moore made light work of his third opponent, Zammani Johnson with a score of 11-2 and then 11-3. Outar had the chance to play Moore again but was unable to recover from the first loss, falling 11-6 and 11-3.
Placing second was Ebo Mc Neil with three points. Despite falling to Moore in his opening match, the young Mc Neil came back to win his other three matches of the night. Cox went down to him 11-2 then 11-8. Johnson again fell to another opponent as Mc Neil defeated him 11-1 and 11-4. His last win for the night came from his matchup against Outar, where the final score was 11-8 and 11-5.
Holding third spot at the end of the opening night is Cox, who defeated Outar 11-5 and 11-6, then Johnson 11-7 and 1513 to earn his points.
Outar managed to earn himself a point when he defeated Johnson 11-3 and 11-2, who was unable to get himself on the points table.
For the girls, leading the charges was Watson. Following in second was Jasmin Bellgeny and third was Quanna Torrington. Samara Suhkai and Deja Datt rounded out the table.
The competition continues today at the National Gymnasium at 9 am, with the under-11 boys and girls opening the day.