Kirby breaks Carifta record

Day One of the Carifta Swimming Championships in Kingston, Jamaica saw Team Barbados off to a solid start with a total medal haul of six, comprised of two golds, two silvers and two bronzes.

First to stand on the podium was US based Luis Sebastian Weekes. Weekes’ posted a time of 2:23:63 to secure the silver medal. Gold went to Izaak Bastian of the Bahamas whose time of 2:17:78 was well under the Carifta record of 2:20:18 set in 2017, with bronze going to Tyler Russell also of the Bahamas.

The bulk of Barbados’ medals for the night would be secured in the 50 metres backstroke event. Milli-Jo MacDonald competing in her first ever Carifta event in the 11-12 age group earned the second medal for Barbados, an additional silver. Her time of 33:75 out-did Naima Hazell’s 33:78 who was forced to settle for the bronze. Gold went to Elan Daley of Bermuda (31:52). Roan Baker would be next to medal in the 13-14 race, his time of 29:40 earning him the bronze ahead of teammate Tristan Pragnell who had to be content with fourth place (29:45). Gold and silver went to Team Bahamas and Guadeloupe respectively.

Well-known Danielle Titus, competing in her first year of the very competitive 15-17 age group made her presence known when she earned the first gold medal for the team in the 15-17 age group. Also swimming the 50 metres backstroke, Titus not only secured gold in the final but her time of 30:22, set in the prelims in the morning session, was a new national age group and open record.

Golden boy Jack Kirby then secured the second gold medal for Barbados in the boys 15-17 age group. His time of 26:53 in the preliminaries erased his previous Barbados age group record of 26:63. From there he went on in the finals to lower the mark again to 26:27 and in so doing, he erased the Carifta record of 26:31 held by David Macleod of Trinidad. Silver went to Davonte Carey of the Bahamas (27:04) and bronze to Jeron Thompson of Trinidad (27:99).

The final medal for Barbados was secured by the 13-14 boys’ relay team of Roan Baker, McCallum Clarke, Tristan Pragnell and Niel Skinner. The boys’ finished in bronze medal position in the 4x100 metres freestyle relay.

Also making the finals on the first evening of swimming were Kyra MacDonald and Nkosi Dunwoody (200 metres Breaststroke) and Omari Sealy, Keilani Talma and Aza Dunwoody
(100 metres Butterfly).

Action continued on Easter Sunday with the 200 metres Freestyle, 50 metres Butterfly, 100 metres Backstroke and 400 metres Individual Medley events, as well as the 400 metres Medley Relay.