The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Barracuda Swim Club’s Family Guardian Invitational turned into a marathon one-day session on Saturday at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex after Friday’s opening session was postponed because of the inclement weather. But it didn’t have any effect on the performances of the swimmers.

As a result of their performances, Anjaleah Knowles, Taliyah Bowe, Amauri Bonamy, Rachel Lundy, Reis Knowles, Jewel Pinder, Kevon Lockhart, Amber Pinder, Randy Paul, Kaitlyn Slatter and Dwayne Mortimer emerged as the respective age group High Point winner in the meet, which saw the majority of the swimmers compete in up to seven events during the one day meet.

The meet served as the first on the Bahamas Swimming Federation’s 2015/16 calender year in New Providence and the second following the Swift Swimming meet in Grand Bahama a week ago. Barrucuda’s coach Travano McPhee said he was pleased with what he saw.

“Although we had to push back the first session because of the weather and run the two sessions in one day, I was pleased with the swimmers,” McPhee said. “The Barracudas had most swimmers swim the seven events, which was the maximum for the meet and they had to do it back-to-back in about seven hours.”

McPhee said the meet was good because it gave some of the swimmers, who were on the borderline, the opportunity to make the cut to compete in the Speedo Florida Winter Swimming Championships in Plantation, Florida in two weeks.

“We had a couple swimmers who didn’t qualify and because they competed, they got a chance to qualify,” McPhee said. “So I was pleased. The crowd was still there. We had a good crowd. We also want to congratulate Abaco for coming and giving us their support. With the conditions and a long day, it was still a successful meet.”

Swift Swimming, who hosted the Carquest-sponsored season opening meet in Grand Bahama the week before, also had some good performances on Saturday.

“Some of them had their best times or were close to their best times,” said Swift’s coach Allan Murray. “We were pretty pleased. It was a long meet today because of the cancellation the night before. Some of the swimmers swum in seven events, which was a little gruelling. But they held up very well, so I was very proud of them.”

The swimmers also got an opportunity to see Murray make another splash in the pool. The Olympian and former national record holder won his heat of the 15-and-over 50m in 26.37 seconds, which turned out to be the second fastest. Jamarco Armbrister, competing unattached, had the fastest time of 26.15.

When asked if he is thinking about making a comeback to compete at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Murray brushed aside any speculation.

“I mentioned to Andy (Knowles, founder and president of Swift Swimming) that I will be competing for Masters purposes. The next thing I know, he had me in the meet. So I was just following through with it. I didn’t want to waste the entry fee,” he said. “I didn’t have any time, so I established a time.

“Maybe I can now get up and compete in Nationals (in June). At least I have a time so I can probably get in a good heat. But it’s been the first one in many, many years, so I was really pleased with how well I performed.”

While Murray got some of the spotlight in the final event of the meet, there were those who performed exceptionally well throughout the day in multiple events to secure their high point awards.

Seven-year-olds Anjaleah Knowles and Taliyah Bowe represented the Sea Waves Aquatic Team. They shared top honours in the girls 8-and-under division with 48 points apiece. Barracuda’s Amauri Bonamy, eight,  was the boys 8-and-under winner with 63 points.

Barracuda’s Rachel Lundy, 10, pulled off a slim margin in the girls 9-10 age group with 57 points, one ahead of team-mate Salene Gibson, also 10. Barracuda’s Reis Knowles, 10, won the boys 9-10 title with 53 points, followed closely by teammate Hodari Prince, nine, with 50.

Abaco got into the spotlight as Jewel Pinder, 12, took the girls 11-12 crown with 59 points, holding off Barracuda’s 12-year-old duo Anya MacPhail and Katherine Slatter, both with 54.  There was a two-way tie in the boys 11-12 with Barracuda’s Roman Pinder and Swift Swimming’s DaVante Carey, both 12, with 61.

In the girls 13-14 division, Barracuda’s Amber Pinder, 13, took the 13-14 division with 57 points and Barracuda’s Randy Paul, 14, won the boys 13-14 division with 60.

And in the girls 15-and-over division, Kaitlyn Slatter, 15, won the title for the Barracuda’s with 54 points and Dwayne Mortimer, 17, captured the boys 15-and-over title for the Sea Bees Swim Club with 34.