Local swimmers to make a big splash at 24th Goodwill Games
DPI, Guyana, Thursday, July 12, 2018
With just over a month before the XXIV Goodwill Games in Barbados, Team Guyana’s swimmers are confident of medalling in every event with the hope of helping Guyana finish first in the competition. Guyana for the first time last year secured third place.
Swimmer Patrice Mahaica, who helped Guyana cop gold in the 9 to 10 girls 400metre freestyle relay last year, hopes to capture more gold medals at this year’s meet. She will be competing in 10 different events.
“I know that I am going to do well and I know that I am going to bring back gold in the breaststroke and backstroke events because last year I got silver and this year I am going for gold.”
A first-time competitor, Joseph Matthews, will swim the 50metre butterfly, 50metre backstroke, 100metre butterfly and 50metre freestyle events. He is also assured that with hard work and directions from the coaching staff, he will medal in all his events.
“I am training with two coaches right now, coach Shyka and coach Haresh, both of them train very hard and whatever workload they give you, it always makes you better” Matthews stated.
This year marks the first time the team that will represent Guyana at the annual swim meet was selected two months prior to the competition. Coach Haresh Bhagwan, said the preparation plans are coming along smoothly.
“This year, selecting the team early has given us the opportunity to prepare swimmers in two months in advance. This time will allow them to secure funding while they improve their swim techniques and be competition-ready and competition aware,” he stated.
The team that will be participating in the Goodwill Swim Meet in Barbados from August 17 to 19 are as follows:
Boys 8 and under: Karsten DeJonge, Dean Spencer, Ricardo Spencer and Macaiah Enoe. Girls 8 and under: Zara Crane, Nia Burch-Smith, Shareefah Lewis, Jessica Sookram and Jasmin Allen. Boys 9 to 10: Micah Chichester, Jeremy Sookram, Jeron Sookram and Hashim Mohamed. Girls 9 to 10: Ariel Rodrigues, Kayla Hardy and Kayle Hardy. Boys 11 to 12: Vladmir Woodroffe, Paul Mahaica, Jaleel Anderson, and Ethan Gonsalves. Girls 11 to 12: Aleka Persaud, Monique Watson, Maiya Ifill and Patrice Mahaica. Boys 13 to 14: Joseph Matthews, Sekhel Tzedeq, Sion Jeffers and Vidjas Mohamed. Girls 13 to 14: Sofia Pinol, Latisha Blair, Amber DeGoeas and Giselle Crane. Boys 15 to 17: Andrew Jordon, Antonio Rodrigues, Daniel Scott and Fitzroy Thom.
By: Isaiah Braithwaite.
Images: Anil Seelall.