The Bring It Swim Team returned home on Monday, May 26th, after a successful showing at the Sonia O’Neal Memorial International Invitational, held by the Barbados Aquatic Sport Association in Wildey, Barbados.
The team competed against clubs from Antigua, St. Lucia, Grenada, St. Vincent, and Barbados, and five of our young athletes proudly represented the club across a range of events.
Over four days of competition, the team competed in races including the 800m, 400m and 200m freestyle, the 200m individual medley (IM), and sprint events such as the 50m freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and 100m freestyle & breaststroke. Every swimmer recorded personal best times, showcasing not only their growth and dedication but the strength of the Bring It! development program.
Notable performances include:
Teadrian Tross (9-10), who placed 6th in the 50m freestyle among 50 swimmers, showed excellent speed and consistency.
Edith Denne (8 &under), who delivered a remarkable 4th place finish in the 100m freestyle, just shy of the podium in a highly competitive field. She also came 5th in the 50m butterfly event.
Skyla Connor(13-14), who shattered several of her personal bests—including a 6th place finish in the 50m breaststroke, where she shaved an incredible 2.19 seconds off her CARIFTA time from just one month ago.
Austin Williams (13-14), who impressed in the 50m freestyle, clocking a powerful 29.04 seconds—an exceptional time with another year remaining in his age group.
Akimba Cornelius (8 &under), in his first international swim meet and first-time racing in a professional pool, delivered a truly commendable performance, showing immense potential for future competitions.
Our athletes achieved top-10 finishes in multiple events within their age groups, demonstrating both talent and consistency. With three of our swimmers remaining in their current age categories for another year, they are well-positioned to build on this experience and aim even higher in future competitions.
The athletes showed exceptional team spirit, consistently cheering for and supporting one another throughout the meet. Their performance is even more impressive considering that much of their training is conducted in open water conditions, rather than in a pool.
A heartfelt thank you goes to the parents and supporters, especially the tireless swim moms, and to Coach James Weekes, who provided virtual coaching and motivation throughout the event despite being unable to travel with the team.
Bring It! The Swim Team is immensely proud of the team’s achievements and looks forward to building on this momentum in upcoming regional and international competitions.