SWIMMING: Jamaican Christanya Shirley meets 26.87, enters CARIFTA 50 free medal 

Jamaican Christanya Shirley has entered the chat for CARIFTA 50 free medal contention with a new PB and Meet record of 26.87. 

SWIMMING: Jamaican Christanya Shirley meets 26.87, enters CARIFTA 50 free medal 
SWIMMING: Jamaican Christanya Shirley meets 26.87, enters CARIFTA 50 free medal  Photo Credits: Lifespan 007 open water Swim facebook Page

Jamaica: Jamaican Christanya Shirley has entered the chat for CARIFTA 50 free medal contention with a new PB and Meet record of 26.87.  

Lifespan 007 Open Water Swim shared the update and stated, “New Chapter of Speed for Christanya. Immaculate’s Shirley has entered the chat for CARIFTA 50 free medal contention with a new PB and Meet record of 26.87.” 

Outlining the life joureny of Jamaican Christanya Shirley, Lifespan 007 open water swim added that in the year 2022 Jamaican Christanya Shirley was the regional performer in the 13-14 50 metre freestyle.She won the CARIFTA title in Barbados in 27.30 in April.Shirley would take the Pan Am Age Group Championships title in Trinidad and Tobago in June in PB of 27.08. She would return to Barbados where she would win the CCCAN Silver in 27.59. 

It is now 2023 and Shirley is in the 15-17 age group and the question was how are her preparations going for the CARIFTA Championships to be held in Curaçao next month. Well she showed exactly what form she is in from the heats at the 2023 ASAJ High & Tertiary Swim Championships held last weekend

The Immaculate Conception star recorded the fastest ever done at the meet with a swim of 26.87.That was her first time under the 27 seconds barrier. She proved it was no fluke winning Gold in the final on Saturday in 26.98.

In 2022 it took a time of 26.64 to medal at CARIFTA. This year should feature the red hot Olympian Jillian Crooks of the Cayman Islands and Bahamian 2022 World Junior semi finalist in the 50 Rhaniska Gibbs.

Shirley has also put up her hand to be called as a medallist for other age group events this year. At CCCAN last year it took 27.06 to medal . For the Commonwealth Youth Games to be among the podium party took a time of 26.02. Christanya has also put herself in the running for her first senior international cap. The Jamaican swimming federation has put a qualifying standard of 26.34 and that surely must be Shirley’s sights.

Look for Christanya on a number of sprint freestyle podiums as we enter Championship season.