Medal success for Bermuda in Aruba
Richard Goodwin, the Bermuda assistant swimming coach, has hailed the island’s strong showing after four days of competition at the Central American and Caribbean Championships in Aruba.
Bermuda’s team of 20 swimmers have claimed an impressive 23 medals so far, nine of which have been gold, and achieved meet and national records and personal bests.
“The results so far have been fantastic and we look forward to even more success,” Goodwin said. “All of the team members have been swimming well, with plenty of personal bests. There has been a very high conversion rate, from heats to finals and then from finals to places on the podium.”
Logan Watson-Brown has four medals under her belt, winning gold in the girls’ 13-14 50 metres backstroke and 200 freestyle, as well as silver in the 50 butterfly and 100 freestyle.
Madelyn Moore has earned three medals so far. She won gold in the girls’ 15-17 50 backstroke and 50 butterfly and silver in the 100 freestyle. Brian Desmond won gold in the boys’ 13-14 200 freestyle and silver in the boys’ 15-17 1,500 freestyle events.
Sam Williamson won gold medal in the boys’ 13-14 200 breaststroke and silver in the 50 backstroke. Payton Zelkin won silver in the 200 and 400 individual medley events and Jesse Washington bronze in the boys’ 18 and over 200 and 100 freestyle events.
Giada Dudley-Pun claimed bronze in the 200 breaststroke, Adam Young secured the bronze in the boys’ 15-17 1,500 freestyle, Josephine Duerden bronze in the girls’ 11-12 50 breaststroke and Kai Legband gold in the boys 15-17 100 freestyle.
Bermuda’s swimmers also impressed in the relay events, winning the gold in the 13-14 4x50 mixed relay and the girls’ 13-14 4x100 freestyle relay, and silver in the boys’ 13-14 4x100 freestyle and 15-17 mixed relay.
The team have also produced some blistering times in the pool with Moore setting a meet record in the 50 backstroke.
Meanwhile Williamson, Zelkin, Caleb Ingham and Watson-Brown also set a meet record in the 13-14 4x50 mixed relay, while Desmond set a national record in the boys’ 15-17 1500 freestyle and Williamson in the 50 breaststroke.
“What is especially pleasing is to see the entire team, from young to old, from rookies to veterans, become such a tight-knit group, supporting and congratulating each other during and after every race,” Goodwin added. The meet finishes tomorrow.