Van Lange continues supremacy at national swimming c/ships

Olympian Britany van Lange yesterday complemented Thursday’s record breaking performances with another Goodwill Swimming Championships qualifying times on the second day of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) National Swimming Championships at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal.

Soroya Simmons
Athena Gaskin

After breaking the record in the girls’ 800m freestyle and 50m backstroke events on Thursday, the Goodwill gold medalist continued her supremacy in the girls’ 15 – 17 category, winning the 200m individual medley in 2:44.03s to reach her second Goodwill qualifying time. Van Lange also won the 100m backstroke (1:17.17s).

In Thursday’s performance, van Lange trimmed four seconds off Athena Gaskin’s 2011 record in the 800m leaving the new record at 10:50.58s. Gaskin, who was also a part of the race, ended in third place with  second place going to Soroya Simmons 11:03.53s. Gaskin clocked 11:30.31s.

Silver Shark’s Onika George won the 800m in the girls’ Under 14 category in 11:40.21. George also won the 200m freestyle (2:31.09s), and the 50m backstroke (35.94s).

Britany van Lange

In the 50m backstroke van Lange erased Goodwill 2010 age group champion Noelle Smith’s 2009 record with her 34.69s finish. Simmons was second in 35.55s while Gaskin followed in third place finishing in 42.51s.

On Thursday, van Lange had accomplished her first Goodwill qualifying time in the 200m freestyle (2:20.37s), while Gaskin achieves a Goodwill qualifying time in the 100m breaststroke. At  1:25.35s, Gaskin finished just inside the 1:25.56s Goodwill qualifying times for the 100m breaststroke.