Standout swimmers Nikoli Blackman (Marlins) and Cherelle Thompson (Eagles Aquatics) both secured World Championships B qualifying times in the men and women’s 50m freestyle events respectively when the curtains fell on this year’s National Open Long Course Championships at the Aquatic Centre in Balmain, Couva, on Sunday.
In their preliminary races, Blackman advanced to the final with the fastest time of 22.84 seconds while Thompson achieved the same, in 25.92s. Blackman’s time bettered the male (22.89s) standard while Thompson’s clocking equaled her qualifying time.
Later on in the 50m free finals, Blackman splashed to gold in an improved time of 22.70s, beating to the line eventual silver medallist and club mate Zachary Anthony (24.46s) and bronze receiver Johann-Matthew Matamoro (24.68s) of Tidal Wave Aquatics.
Thompson repeated her earlier time in the final and won gold in the process. Coming in second was unattached swimmer Amari Ash (27.46s) while Tidal Wave’s Gabrielle Vickles (27.64s) was third.
Blackman also won gold in the boys’ 11 and Over 200m individual medley. He touched the wall in 2:06.64 with Anthony (2:09.80) in second and Christiano Rivas (2:16.76) of RTST-ZZ, in third.
In the mixed 11 and Over 200m freestyle final, Tidal Wave’s Vickles, Matamoro, Joy Blackett and Zalayhar Lewis bettered the in-form Marlins outfit. The quartet was victorious in 1:46.09 while Marlins’ Blackman, Aimee Le Blanc, Zachary and Zoe Anthony bagged silver in 1:48.97.
RWB Aquatics’ quartet of Tristan Davis, Zahara Alexander, Madian Edwards and Chael Joseph finished third in 1:49.60.
Selected Results
Girls
10 & Under
50m fly – 1. Zalayar Lewis 36.43s, 2. Zahara Anthony 41.97s, 3. Elin Stone 46.61s (All of Marlins)
11 & Over
400m free – 1. Tilly Collymore 4:44.28 (SAILF), 2. Zoe Anthony 4:46.35 (Marlins), 3. Kiara Goodridge 4:53.89 (Blue Dolphins)
100m breast – 1. Tyla Ho A Sho 1:19.91 (RWB), 2. Zoe Anthony 1:20.06 (Marlins), 3. Anya Davis 1:25.34 (RWB)
200m back – 1. Taylor Marchan 2:40.24 (Marlins), Alyssa Reid 2:42.19 (Tidal Wave), 3. Kiara Goodridge 2:48.39 (Blue Dolphins)
25 & Over
50m free – 1. Teheli Sealey 39.51s (Unattached), 2. Anoushka Ramsingh 39.81s (TTAQ), 3. Nadia Gower de Chabert 47.17s (TTAQ)
Boys
10 & Under
50m fly – 1. Aiden Nixon 35.48s (Tidal Wave), 2. Micah Alexander 36.37s (Eagles), 3. Eli Edwards 41.36s (PBSC)
200m IM – 1. Micah Alexander 3:08.46 (Eagles), 2. Aiden Nixon 3:12.80 (Tidal Wave), 3. Marcus Nesbitt 3:16.97 (RWB)
100m back – 1. Zalayar Lewis 1”28.84 (Marlins), 2. Zahara Anthony 1:39.07 (Marlins), 3. Athalia Giddings 1:40.63 (BASC)
11 & Over
400m free – 1. Zachary Anthony 4:14.09 (Marlins, 2. Riquelio Joseph 4:33.68 (Marlins), 3. Darren Belfon 4:36.26 (Point Fortin)
25 & Over
50m free – 1. Anton Gopaulsingh 26.26s (TTAQ), 2. Curtis Harper 28.13s (Flying Fish), 3. Adrian Murphy 30.74s (TTAQ)
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