Schools Swimming Championships…Rodrigues, Van Lange dominate

By Emmerson campbell

District 11’s (North Georgetown) Ronaldo Rodrigues and Brittany Van Lange dominated the boys and girls under- 21 feature events yesterday, winning four gold medals each at the 51st National Schools Swimming Championships held at the brand new National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal.
Rodrigues swam away with the boys 50 and 100 metre freestyle and the 50 metre breast stroke races.
Van Lange won the 50 metre butterfly and the 50 and 100 metre free style races.

The pair also anchored North Georgetown’s 4 x 50 metre boys and girls freestyle relay teams to the top of the podium.
Rodrigues, 16, who is a 5th form Business student from The Bishops’ High School (BHS) was so dominant in his events that he started way after his opponents and still won convincingly.

Brittany Van Lange on her way to successfully anchor the gold medal winning North Georgetown’s girls team in the 4 x 50 metre freestyle event. (Orlando Charles photo)

Van Lange, the Dorado Club swimmer, who also attends BHS was just as dominant, winning her 100 metre free style race by almost 30 metres.
In an invited comment Rodrigues mentioned that he has plans of migrating to China to prepare for the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil because he feels he would not be ready for the London Games next year.

Van Lange who turns 15 tomorrow also said she has plans of representing Guyana at an Olympic Games but her immediate plan is to represent Guyana at the Trinidad Nationals next month.

Ronaldo Rodrigues (number four) about to enter the pool at the start of the 100 metre free style race. (Orlando Charles photo)

Meanwhile up to press time only 20 events were tallied and the officials indicated the total scores will be made known today.
 After 20 events, however, North Georgetown is in the lead with 138 points followed by District 10 (Upper/Kwakwani) with 119 points, District

Ronaldo Rodrigues (number four) about to enter the pool at the start of the 100 metre free style race. (Orlando Charles photo)

Seven (Bartica) 115 points, District Nine (Rupununi) 80 points and District 12 (East Georgetown) 67 points.

District One (North West) 48 points, Districts Two (Essequibo Coast/Pomeroon) and 13 (South Georgetown) are both on 43 points, District Three (West Demerara) 38 points, District Four (East Coast Demerara) 17 points, District Five (West Coast Berbice) nine points, District 15 (New Amsterdam)  eight points, District 14 (East Bank Demerara) six points while Districts Six (Corentyne) and 16 (Essequibo Islands) are both in the cellar without a point.