Barbados: Forty junior swimmers from Barbados have started their journey for medals at the 2024 Goodwill Swimming Championships now taking place at the Rodney Heights Aquatics Centre (RHAC) in St Lucia.
After placing fourth last year in Jamaica, the young Barbados team would be looking to improve on their performance against Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Curaçao, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Representing Barbados in the eight and under age group are Aaliyah Pilgrim, Caris Freeman, Nyla Beneby, Mya Edward, Khalil Patrick, Dari Douglin, Blake Graham and Tyler Chase.
In the 9-10 age group, Gabriella Babb, Lailah Shorey, Jayla Best, Ziya Phillips, Zachary Lapido, Christian Vanderpool, Attie Joseph and Aaron Brathwaite will compete for Barbados.
Hailee Alleyne, Zavia Branch, Taija Hall, Gabriella Mayers, Aidan Salmon, Theo Narain, Adante Martin and Michael Howard are swimming in the 11-12 age group, while Khalia Springer, Ayoka Martin, Amara Kirton, M’Rya Maycock, Elliot Reid, Achebe Smith, Hamani Callender and Beau Washington are the swimmers in the 13-14 age group.
The oldest age group is the 15-17 and Toni Walrond, Rylan Marville, Allysa Rocheford, Nararia McClean, Aquan Crichlow, Raijanni St Hill, Jaden Johnson and Kareem Johnson would wear the Barbados colours.
When the 2024 Goodwill Swimming Championships got under way in St. Lucia earlier this evening, at least four young swimmers from Dolphins Swim Club were among the team Barbados competitors.
The sole female in the group is Akoya Martin who is no stranger to the Goodwill Games. Akoya competed in the 2022 Goodwill Games when she won three bronze medals and 1 silver medal in individual events and 3 silver medals from relays in the 11-12 age group.
Last year, she returned to the games and competed in the 13-14 age group and returned home with gold medals in the 100 LC m freestyle, 100 LC m backstroke, 50 LC m back stroke and a silver medal in the 50 LC m free style.
The Lester Vaughan School student who is a member of Dolphins Swim Club is looking to better her performance this year.
Swimming in the boys’13-14 age group in his second Goodwill Games is Achebe Smith who also hails from Dolphin Swim Club.
