The Guyana Amateur Swimming Association’s (GASA) annual Mashramani Long Course Swimming Championships concluded with the Dorado Speed Swim Club emerging the overall winner Sunday at the National Aquatic Centre at Lilliendaal, East Coast Demerara.
After 56 events, Dorado splashed its way to 2374 points while Dolphin (1974) and Sea Otter Swim Academy (1221) completed the podium line up.
Dorado’s Raekwon Noel was the club’s most outstanding athlete as he swam away with five gold medals in the boy’s 13-14 age group category.
The youngster won the 1500 freestyle, 100M backstroke, 200M butterfly, 100 freestyle and 100M breaststroke, events earning in the process, his ticket to this year’s CARIFTA meet.
Also performing well for the champion club was Vladimir Woodroffe who emerged as the top swimmer in the boy’s 11-12 category. He copped gold medals in the 50M, 100M and 200M backstroke and 400 and 800 freestyle events.
Other Dorado swimmers who copped gold medals were Daniel Scott, Monique Watson, Elliott Gonsalves and Donna Carter.
Second place Dolphin had strong performances from Paul Mahaica who picked up wins in the 200M individual medley, 200M butterfly, 50M butterfly, 200M freestyle, 100M butterfly and 100M backstroke races.
Jeremy Sookram also starred for Dolphin, winning the 50M and 100M backstroke, 50M and 100M butterfly, 50, 100M and 200M freestyle and 100M events.
Megan Scott, Patrice Mahaica and Tzedeq Sekhel were also impressive for Dolphin.
Meanwhile, the highly talented Leon Seaton Jr., of Silver Shark Swim Club and Aleka Persaud of Orca Speed Swim Club were also among the event’s biggest splashers.
Both athletes qualified for the 2019 CARIFTA meet in Barbados in April with Seaton recording seven wins while Persaud took away six titles.
Also heading to CARIFTA will be Noel, Monique Watson, Woodroffe, Patrice Mahaica, Anthalcy Hunte, Paul Mahaica, Lastisha Blair, Jaleel Anderson and Nathan Jackson who all achieved qualifying times.
The championships will also be used to select Guyana’s Goodwill training squad for the August 2019 event in Suriname.
