Courtesy: Rory Alvaranga
KINGSTON, Jamaica – While many of the top Jamaican age group swimmers were campaigning for a spot on the 2019 CARIFTA Swim Team over the weekend, some of our overseas based swimmers were watching the performances to know their fate.
The most noteworthy performance came from Kaizen Swim Club’s Zaneta Alvaranga in the 13-14 Girls 50m Breaststroke. Alvaranga stopped the clock at 34.14 seconds ahead of Sabrina Lyn of Tornados Swim Club in 34.41 and Raine Hopkins 37.49 erasing the old National Age Group record of 34.72 set by Priscilla McClure at the 2011 CARIFTA Championships held in Kingston, Jamaica.
Alvaranga was responsible for breaking nine (9) records at the four day event. Alvaranga broke records in the 100m and 50m Butterfly, 100m and 50m Breaststroke, 100m and 50m Freestyle in the preliminary rounds and again lowered the 100m Butterfly, 50m Freestyle and the 50m Breaststroke in the finals.
Alvaranga’s Head Coach Rory Alvaranga said “Zaneta was training very well and developed flu like symptoms about six (6) days ahead of the game.”
Coach Alvaranga said “I am most grateful to Dr. Dialo Brown DPT, MSSM, CSCS (Kaizen’s Strength Coach) for his care of Zaneta during the Championships. Zaneta for the first time experienced a hamstring strain during the meet and Dr. Brown gave her just enough relief to produce a sub 27 seconds in 50m Freestyle for the first time following which she returned to him for cupping therapy which removed the discomfort she was experiencing.”
The Jamaican standout took only two breaths to complete the one lap event.
Alvaranga then produced a lifetime best with her second sub 27 in the 50m Freestyle finals with a 26,87 ahead of Aliyah Heaven of Tornados Swim Club in 28.09 and Lyn in 28.14. It was also the first time she swam a sub 35 seconds in the 50m Breaststroke and in doing so got the championship record.
Alvaranga has won regional medals in Butterfly, Freestyle and Breaststroke and has been fourth twice in the Backstroke. With her elite like signature starts this young talent has shown her muscles to her local fraternity and solidifies her place on the National Age Group Team.
Alvaranga is one of (Naele Portecop of Guadeloupe) only two age group females in the CARIFTA region to have swam under 28 seconds in the 50m Butterfly which she did at the 2018 CARIFTA Games held in Kingston, Jamaica.
Nathaniel Thomas 13 -14 boy of Tornados Swim Club was the leading record breaker on the boy’s side with five (5) records. Thomas broke records in the 100m Butterfly, 50m Butterfly, 200m Individual Medley, 100m Freestyle and the 50m Freestyle.
Other record breakers are:
Kyle Sinclair (1) = 15 – 17 Boys 100m Backstroke
Sabrina Lyn (2) = 13 -14 Girls 100m Breaststroke and 100m Freestyle
Kokolo Foster (2) = 11 – 12 Girls 100m Breaststroke and 50m Breaststroke
Jordane Payne (1) = 15 – 18 Boys 100m Butterfly (Prelims and finals)
Rin Gyles (1) = 15 – 17 Boys 50m Backstroke
Nathan Wright (1) = 9 – 10 200m Freestyle
Nelson Denny (1) = 11 – 12 Boys 50m Backstroke
The National Championship marks the end of the qualifying period for the CARIFTA Team selection. In the coming week the ASAJ Selection Committee will comb through the results and select the top 2 athletes in the various events that made the required CARIFTA cuts to sport the Black, Gold and Green at the regional championships to be held 20th – 23rd April, 2019 in the Barbados Aquatic Centre, Bridgetown, Barbados.
Nice times