With close to 125 swimmers in competition mode following a successful outing the previous weekend in Barbados, the third edition of the Lightning Aquatics Club Carnival Relay Swim Championship came to a successful end on Sunday 2nd June 2019 at the Rodney Heights Aquatic Centre.
Like previous meets, the four hour event generated much hype and excitement on the part of the coaches, friends and family members, supporters, and the swimmers themselves.
Of the four participating clubs and one secondary school, Seajays was crowned champions with 593 points. Second place went to Lightning Aquatics with 498 points, third place to Sharks (482), fourth place Southern Flying Fish (222) and fifth place Ciceron Secondary/Grass Roots (59).
Some of the notable performances on the day:25 meter Girls 8 and Under – Zaina Brathwaite (18.31seonds/ Sharks); Helen Kabiye (19.14 seconds/Sharks), Maravilla John (20.58 seconds/ Sharks).
Girls 9-10 25 meter Short Course (SC) 1st -Allysa Henry (18.09 seconds/ Sharks), 2nd – Amber Guillaume (19.06 seconds/ Sharks), 3rd – Maia Hackshaw (20.64 seconds/Sharks).
Girls 15 and Over 25 meter SC, 1st – Lisa Charles (17.85 seconds/Sharks), 2nd Alex Du Boulay (18.04 seconds/Sharks), 3rd Charon Gardner- Hippolyte (18.16 seconds/Seajays).
Boys 8 and Under 25 meter SC, 1st – Aron Charles (19.21 seconds/Lightning Aquatics), 2nd – Daniel Ambler (20.50 seconds/Lightning Aquatics), 3rd – Liam Felicien (22.11 seconds/Lightning Aquatics).
Boys 9-10 25 meter SC, 1st – Zahir Leslie (16.13 seconds/Sharks), 2nd – Jahson Felix (Lightning Aquatics 18.29 seconds/ Lightning Aquatics), Sebastien Ambler (18.51 seconds/ Lightning Aquatics).
Girls 10 and Under 100 meter SC freestyle relay, 1st – Seajays (1 minute 11. 43 seconds), 2nd Lightning Aquatics (1 minute 14.00 seconds), 3rd – Sharks (1 minute 19.93 seconds).
Boys 10 and Under 100 meter SC freestyle relay, 1st – Seajays (1 minute 08.50 seconds), 2nd Sharks (1 minute 19.37 seconds), 3rd Lightning Aquatics (1 minute 19.69 seconds).
Girls 11-14, 200 meter SC freestyle relay, 1st – Lightning Aquatics (2 minutes 01.32 seconds), 2nd Sharks – (2 minutes 09.26 seconds), 3rd – Lightning Aquatics (2 minutes 20.93 seconds).
Boys 11-14, 200 meter SC freestyle relay, 1st – Seajays (2 minutes 01.15 seconds, 2nd – Lightning Aquatics (2 minutes 04.44 seconds), 3rd – Seajays (2 minutes 11.19 seconds).
Girls 9-10 50 meter SC butterfly, 1st -Mila Festini Cromer (42.71 seconds/Seajays), 2nd – Alexandra Bristol (46.18 seconds/ Lightning Aquatics), 3rd – Jaida Henry (46.21 seconds/ Seajays).
Girls 11-12 50 meter SC butterfly, 1st – Caitlin Polius (33.31 seconds/Seajays), 2nd -Maliyah Henry ( 39.88 seconds/ Southern Flying Fish), 3rd – Jasmine Steide ( 40.40 seconds/ Sharks).
Girls 13-14 50 meter SC butterfly, 1st -Naekeisha Louis (30.99 seconds/ Lightning Aquatics), 2nd – Naima Hazell (32.20 seconds/ Lightning Aquatics), 3rd – Anya Hilaire (34.35 seconds/Sharks).
Girls 15 and Over 50 meter SC butterfly, 1st – MikailiCharlemange (30.26 seconds/ Sharks), 2nd – Chloe Thomas (39.52 seconds/ Lightning Aquatics), 3rd – Jania Thomas (44.33 seconds/Southern Flying Fish).
Boys 8 and Under 50 meter SC butterfly, 1st -Noah Dorville (44.53 seconds/Seajays), 2nd – James Sylvester (46.42 seconds/ Seajays), 3rd -MaximeLarrieu (56.79 seconds/ Unattached).
Boys 11-12 50 meter SC butterfly,1st – Karic Charles (30.49 seconds/Lightning Aquatics), 2nd – Tristan Dorville (31.64 seconds/Seajays), 3rd – Ethan Hazell (34.12 seconds/ Lightning Aquatics).
Boys 13-14 50 meter SC butterfly, 1st – Ziv Reynolds (20.92 seconds/Sharks), 2nd -Benedict Edmund (31.45 seconds/ Flying Fish), 3rd – Shaquil Flavius (32.55 seconds/ Seajays).
Boys 15 and Over 50 meter SC butterfly, 1st- Omar Alexander (28.03 seconds/ Seajays), 2nd – Allandre Cross (29.21 seconds/ Sharks),3rd – Jeannot Walter (30.75 seconds/ Lightning Aquatics).
Tessa Charles-Louis, President of the Lightning Aquatics Swim Club said the third staging of the event was overall exciting, and “filled with phenomenal races both individual and relays”.
“The main aim is to show the fun side of swimming,” she noted. “Often we focus on just the individual competitor; we wanted to have an event that would help build team spirit.”
She added, “The event was very successful; we saw Seajays, Sharks, Lightning Aquatics, Southern Flying Fish and our specially invited guest, the Ciceron Secondary School who forms part of the Saint Lucia Aquatic Federation Grassroots programme. What is most impressive about those swimmers is that they started the Learn to Swim Programme in October 2018 and they do beach swimming. This was their first pool competition, and they were simply amazing.”
