The Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) began its annual national swimming champions yesterday at the Castallani Pool with several record-breaking performances heating up the four-day competition.

Some 168 events are to be concluded by next weekend which will be the final two day’s of competition by which time the champion swimmers from each category will be known.

Britany Van Lange was outstanding in the girls’ 9-10-year-old category shattering a few records in the process.

She swan to victory ahead of Soroya Simmons in the 200m girls’ 9-10 freestyle event breaking the existing record of 2:52.52s held by Christina Perriera in the process. Van Lange’s new record is 2:48:27s while Simmons, who also broke her old record, finished in a time of 2:48:80s.

Van Lange also claimed victory in the girls’ 9-10 year-old, 50 metre backstroke finishing ahead of Simmons.

She also set a new mark in that event of 41.11s erasing the 43:62s previously set by Launa Dickson.

Also in the record breaking mood was Jamal Sobers’s clocked 2:04:73 seconds in the 200m freestyle to break Yannick Roberts’ record of 2:04:80.

The other record breaker was Benjamin Griffith who improved on his previous record by setting a new record of 45:72s in the boys eight-years -and-under 50m backstroke.

Sobers leads the 15-17-year-old category amassing 28 points while Henk Lowe with 27 points stands all alone in the 13-14 year-old category.

Ronaldo Rodrigues has 18 points to lead the 11-12-year-old category, Shane Baksh with 16 points leads in the 9-10-year-old category and Benjamin Griffith with nine points is ahead in the eight years and under category.

Current leaders for girls are: Kristyl Robinson 18 points in the 15-17-year-old category, Noelle Smith, 18 points in the 13-14-year-old category, Athena Gaskin who has 18 points in the 11-12-year-old category, Van Lange with 10 points in the 9-10 category and five-year-old Sarah King on nine points in the eight-years and -under category. The championships will continue today at the same venue. (Kiev Chesney)