Courtesy: The Aquatic Sports Association of Jamaica
The Aquatic Sports Association of Jamaica (ASAJ) last evening ratified an 18 member swim team for UANA Swimming Cup 2020.
The Union Americana de Natacion, or UANA, is the regional governing body for aquatic sports in the Americas. While less visible than governing bodies in places like Europe (LEN), UANA has been around since the 1948 Olympic Games in London, the group does carry some weight throughout the Americas.
The meet in only its second staging will be held at The Videna Aquatic Complex, in Lima, Peru, February 21- 23, 2020. It is currently the highest level age group meet on the ASAJ’s calendar required the highest qualifying standard (AAAA) to make the team.
Invited Federations
Zone 1––CCCAN: Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, US Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, Turks & Caicos, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago
Zone 2––CONSANAT: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Paraguay, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela
Zone 3: United States of America
Zone 4: Canada
The event boasts 3 age groups for swimmers aged 11-12, 13-14, and 15-17 as is done at CARIFTA and CCCAN Swimming Championships and will be competed in long course meters. There will be only timed finals, and no time standards have been released. See list of swimmers and number of AAAA times achieved.
Female
Zaneta Alvaranga 15-17 = (Six AAAA in 50m Free, Back, Breast, Fly, 100m free & fly)
Christanya Shirley 11-12 = (One AAAA 50m free)
Aliyah heaven 13-14 = (One AAAA 50m free)
Kokolo Foster 13-14 = (One AAAA 50m Breaststroke)
Brook Hopkins 13-14 = (One AAAA 50m Breaststroke)
Gian Francis 13-14 = (One AAAA 50m Butterfly)
Taeija-Lee Hall-Watts 13-14 = (One AAAA 50m Butterfly)
Gabrianna Banks 15-17 = (One AAAA 50m Freestyle)
Emily MacDonald 15-17 = (Two AAAA 50m fly & 100m Freestyle)
Brianna Anderson 15-17 = (One AAAA)
Sabrina Lyn 15-17 = (One AAAA)
Brady MacPherson Lewison 11-12 (Six AAAA in 50m free, back, fly, 100m back, fly and 200m back)
Josh Johnson 11-12 = (Three AAAA 50m free, fly and 100m fly)
Nelson Denny 13-14 = (One AAAA 50m Backstroke)
Jaedon Lynch 13-14 = (One AAAA 50m Breaststroke)
Kyle Sinclair 15-17 = (Two AAAA 50m & 100m Freestyle)
Nathaniel Thompson 15-17 = (Three AAAA in 50m Free, Back & Fly)
Cameron Brown 15-17 = (One AAAA 50m Breaststroke)
Of the 18 swimmers 13 are local based with the remaining 5 overseas based. Headlining the qualifiers with six AAAA a piece are local strong girl Alvaranga and overseas based Macpherson Lewson. Alvaranga just aging up to the 15-17 group shows good development with her six AAAA in her first year.
At the inaugural staging Team Jamaica finished the competition adding six best times to their tally on the final day to end with 20 new personal records overall, two age group records, and one senior national record.
Emily MacDonald was the best-placed Jamaican in the high-point scoring for the age group, placing eighth with 22 points.
Team Coach is Gillian Millwood and Team Physical Therapist Dr Dialo-Rudolph Brown, DPT, MSSM
See rankings for UANA on Jamaica’s website here.