Youth Olympic, World Swimming Championship teams selected

Daniel Scott
Daniel Scott

A two-member swim team has been selected to represent Guyana at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Argentina from October 6-18 while four swimmers are set to head to China later in the year for the International Swimming Federation (FINA) World Swimming Championships.

According to President of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association, (GASA) Ivan Persaud, Daniel Scott and Jayden George will compete at next month’s Youth Olympics with Shyka Gonsalves as the coach.

Scott will later join Danielle George, Jamila Sanmoogan and Andrew Fowler with Paul Mahaica as coach for the World Championships.

Jamila Sanmoogan

Speaking with Stabroek Sport, Persaud said it was a wonderful opportunity which the association was taking with both hands.

He pointed to the recent performances by the swimmers as testimony to the development of the sport locally.

Jayden George, Persaud said, has continued to develop and is currently training in the United States while Scott has made incomparable strides which was evident by his performances at the Goodwill Games last month.

Persaud argued that for the first time in 24 years Guyana has caught up with the rest of the Caribbean in the sport.

Ivan Persaud

The former chairman of the National Sports Commission explained that participation in the above championships, will allow the swimmers to meet continuous competition at an exceptionally high level, which in turn can help them improve their personal bests

He said that while it may be difficult for them to medal he was confident of their chances of advancing past the first round and hopeful that they can be somewhere among the medals.