Zachary Lapido from Barbados to attend Harrison College in September 2024

Barbados: Zachary Lapido from Barbados will be attending Harrison College when the next school term begins in September. He is an exceptional young man, well focused and he has used his time in primary school wisely and came out on top.

From a toddler who hated to have water in his face to a national age group swimming champion, 11 year-old Zachary Ladipo is making waves in the pool and he has a bright future ahead of him in swimming.

Concerned about Zachary’s fear for water and his mother’s desire for him to at least learn how to be safe in the water, she enrolled him in “Aquability”, a swim programme dedicated to the development of confidence of young children in the water and safety practices.

Aquability proved to be a good idea as Zachary gained his love for the water during these sessions and he later joined Hightide Swim Club, which helped him to achieve his first “division champion” award in the boys 8 and under age group.

When the pandemic broke out in 2020 and the pool was out of bound, Zachary joined an “Open Water ” programme by the beach, with “coach Akilah” and that developed his love for the sea and Open Water swimming.

Over the years Zachary competed in several short course and long course swim meets and his most recent local meet was in March, when he competed in the BASA National Swimming Championships in the 9/10 Age Group, winning seven gold medals and 2 silver medals and the 9/10 division championship.

Zachary also enjoys open water swimming and he placed 4th in the under-13 division in the 2023 Barbados Open Water Festival.

A triathlete, he participates in the Barbados Federation Island Triathletes (BFIT) triathlon/aquathlon kids series and he was the 9/10 Age Group division champion at the 2023 BFIT/Rascals National Aquathlon. This year he placed first in the 11-12 age group at the BFIT National Aquathlon.

Zachary attended St. Angela’s Primary School until the closure of the school last year and while there, he represented the school in swimming. He placed second in his age group at the Inter-Primary School Swim Meet in 2019 and went on to win his division in 2021 and 2022. He also represented St. Angela’s at the National Sports Council Marcia Trotman Memorial Inter- School Relays in 2022, when his team won first place.

When Zachary moved to St. Gabriel’s School, he immediately made the school’s swim team and represented them at the 2023 Inter-Primary School Swimming Meet, when he placed second in the 9/10 Age Group.

Last year he participated in St. Gabriel’s school sports and won the title of division champion and this year he won his division and the title of Victor Ludorum. The Class four prefect and Vice Captain of the school’s sports team, Zachary placed second in the Marcia Trotman Memorial Inter-School Relays last year and third in the National Sports Council Trevor Straughn Memorial Inter-School Cross Country.

A valuable member of his school’s track team at the 2024 NAPSAC, Zachary won the under-13 boys’ divisional title in the Andrea Blackette Zone, after crossing the line first in the 800 and 400m races and placing 6th in the 200m race. That led to him competing in the finals at NAPSAC where he placed second in the 800m final.