Castries, Saint Lucia: Team Saint Lucia shines at the 36th CARIFTA Aquatics Championships with 11 medals and an unprecedented three CARIFTA age group records.
Team Saint Lucia is celebrating a stellar performance at the 2023 CARIFTA Swimming Championships, which concluded on Sunday, April 9th, at the Enith Brigitha Aquatic Centre. The team of nine swimmers, captained by Naekeisha Louis and Tristan Dorville, made their country proud, bringing home a total of 11 medals – 7 Gold, 3 Silver, and 1 Bronze – and attaining outstanding individual achievements.
Led by Coach David Peterkin, and under the watchful eyes of the Team Manager, Sabrina Odol who also served as massage therapist, Team Saint Lucia showcased their talent and dedication, finishing 9th overall out of 20 countries.
Among the remarkable achievements was Antoine Destang’s exceptional performance, with a medal haul of 7 gold and 3 silver medals coupled with 3 Carifta records, the 13-14 male high point trophy, and the 13-14 highest FINA points trophy. In his augural showing at the CARIFTA championships, Antoine’s recording breaking performance betters the performance of his teammate, Tristan Dorville at last year’s staging of the swimming aspect of the Aquatic Championships.
Antoine’s record-breaking performance is the best recorded by a Saint Lucian thus far earning him five B qualifying (PST) times for the XIX Pan American Games scheduled Santiago, Chile later this year. Additionally, Antoine set 8 national age group records and two national records in the following: 13 -14 Saint Lucia Age group records: 50 and 200 M backstroke, 50 and 100 butterfly, 100, 200 and 400 freestyle, 200 M Individual Medley. Overall National Records: 400 free and 200 IM.
Team Saint Lucia also had an impressive showing with other talented swimmers. Swimming in her final CARIFTA Championship, Naima Hazell swam her way to a bronze medal in her pet event, the 50 metre breaststroke and swam in the finals of the 50 metre butterfly placing 7th overall. In her first-year swimming in the 13-14 age group, Fayth Jeffrey gave a good account of herself making finals in six out of the eight events that she swam with two 4th place finishes resetting the Saint Lucia long course (50 metre pool) 13-14 age group records in the 200 and 400 IM.
Her 200 IM swim of 2.39.31 is a new national record for Saint Lucia.
New comer to the team Noah Dorville stamped his mark as one to look out for, making two finals, the 200 metre freestyle and the 50 metre frestyle with 4th and 6th place finishes respectively.
Tristan Dorville made finals in 6 of the individual events swam. Tristan along with his teammates Ethan Hazell, Antoine Destang and D’andre Blanchard swam their way to 4th overall in the finals of the 200 M Freestyle Relay missing the podium by just a few milliseconds.
On the first day of competition, the quartet of Karic Charles, Tristan Dorville, D’Andre Blanchard and Ethan Hazell swam an impressive 400 Medley Relay. Karic sustained a serious injury which prevented him from competing any further as his hand had to be placed in a cast. Other swimmers who gave of their best are: Naekeisha Louis, Ethan Hazell and Karic Charles.
At the end of four days of a fiercely contested championship, team Saint Lucia’s record-breaking team, collected 155 points and placed 9th out of 20 countries.
“We celebrate not only our medal winners and finalists but also each and every one of our swimmers who represented Saint Lucia with pride and dedication,” articulated SLAF Athlete Commission president.
The Saint Lucia Aquatics Federation extends its congratulations to Team Saint Lucia for their exceptional performance at the 36th CARIFTA Aquatic Championships and looks forward to their continued success in future competitions.
The Saint Lucia Aquatics Federation is dedicated to promoting and developing the sport of aquatics in the country and supporting the growth and success of its athletes in local, regional, and international competitions while advancing the ideals of an athlete-centered approach to governance.
