Black Sands Swim Club impresses in first outing

The Black Sands Swim Club, the newest swim club here, impressed in its first outing at the Rodney Heights Aquatic Centre Summer Splash in St Lucia, from August 23 to 25.{{more}}

The club finished fourth among the eight competing clubs, which included six clubs from St Lucia and the other from Antigua and Barbuda.

Leading the Vincentian charge was Shne Joachim, who swam in the 11 to 12 age group. She claimed first place in the 50m breaststroke, the 100m freestyle, the 200m breaststroke, the 50m freestyle, the 100m breaststroke and got silver in the 50m butterfly.

In addition, Joachim set new meet marks in five of the events, the 50m freestyle and backstroke, as well as the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke.

Alex Joachim, who swam in the boys under 8 category, was first in the 25m butterfly and the 50m breast and freestyle. He claimed second places in the 50m and 100m backstroke and the 100m freestyle.

Pouching eight second place was Nickolas Sylvester in the boys 11 to 12 age group. His second places were attained in the 200m freestyle, 200m individual medley, the 50m backstroke; the 50, 100 and 200m breaststroke, the 50m butterfly and 50 m freestyle. Sylvester was also third in the 100 m freestyle.

Swimming in the 13 to 14 boys category, Storm Halbich came in second in the 200m breast stroke, 200m freestyle and positioned third in the 200m individual medley.

Meanwhile, Chavez Joseph, who swam in the boys 11 to 12, gained a second place in the 100m freestyle and was third in the 50 and 200m freestyle and the 50m butterfly.

Isabella Bollers in the girls under 6 was third in both the 25 m butterfly and the 25m breaststroke.

The quartet of Chavez Joseph, Justin and Nikolas Sylvester and Cruz Halbich was first in the 4 x 50m and the 4 X 100m freestyle relays.

Overall, Alex Joachim achieved a bronze medal in the boys under-8, with Shne Joachim, who also received a bronze medal for achieving the third highest points in the girls 11- 12 years age group.

Louise Mitchell Joseph received a bronze medal in the highest points for ladies 18 and over category and Kyle Dougan claimed a silver in the men’s 18 and over category

The others who made the trip were Leah Bollers, Khori Browne and Justin Sylvester, who performed in the girls 11 to 12, boys 13 to 14 and boys 9 to 10 age groups respectively.

The achievement of the club was highlighted last Wednesday night at a reception ceremony at the Paradise Inn at Villa.

The ceremony was addressed by Minister of Tourism, Sports and Culture Cecil Mc Kie, who said that the achievement of the swimmers fitted into the line of recent national focuses.

McKie listed the performance of Team Crew in winning the regional Guinness Street Football competition; the under-23 netball team which lifted the OECS title and the senior men’s cricket team, which won the Windwards twenty/20 competition, as fitting into his ministry’s tag line of “rising into the future with sports”.

Coach Kyle Dougan, in a brief interview with SEARCHLIGHT, said he was pleased with the efforts of the young swimmers, which augurs well for the sport in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Dougan said that his club is eagerly looking forward to upcoming meets. (RT)