The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE road to crowning the 2012 BTC Carifta Swimming Championship champions got started on Thursday night at the Betty Kelly Kenning National Swim Complex.

The Bahamas is being joined by 21 other countries in the quest for the title with the championships wrapping up on Sunday night.

During the official opening ceremonies, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Charles Maynard said the region has been blessed with a vast amount of athletes who have gone on to excel at the international level and they anticipate the same this year as swimmers will get a chance to vie for spots on their respective teams for the Olympic Games that will be held in London, England starting in July.

The championships have been sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA), the governing body for swimming.

Fresh from his trip to Hamilton, Bermuda with the Bahamian track and field team that finished second with a total of 40 medals at the Carifta Games over the Easter holiday weekend, Maynard said he expects the trend to continue here for the swimmers.

He noted that it doesn't matter what country the swimmers come from, it's been shown that the region has out-shone their counterparts in the rest of the world.

Throughout the four days, Maynard said the world will be looking for some keen competition as they get a glimpse of the potential future world class swimmers.

But he warned the visiting countries that while the championships are being staged here, great things are expected from Team Bahamas.

Also addressing the audience during the ceremony was Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, the Minister of Tourism and Aviation.

In welcoming the visiting countries to the Bahamas, Vanderpool-Wallace said he's seen the championships grow from strength to strength

But he added that it's important for the spectators to continue to support the swimmers in their attendance because without them cheering them on, they will not perform the way that they have been doing.

The championships were officially opened by Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes.

Marlon Johnson represented BTC as the principal sponsor and Algernon Cargill, president of the Bahamas Swimming Federation, represented the host country.

As the competition got started in the pool, Trinidad & Tobago surged ahead of the medal table with 15, including six gold. The Bahamas was second with 13 medals, but was fourth in the gold rush with three. Guadeloupe and Aruba were both ahead of the Bahamas with five gold each in their total of 10 medals. Guadeloupe, however, led the field in the point standings with 182.

Trinidad & Tobago sat in second with 174 and the Bahamas was in third with 160.