The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

MARVIN Johnson broke two national records and a number of swimmers made the qualifying standards for both the Caribbean Games and the CCCAN as the Bahamas Swimming Federation hosted its Time Trials at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex over the weekend.

But the performance that left many people in awe Saturday morning was the spectacular swim by American Olympian Ryan Lochte - he completed the 50 metres freestyle underwater. When he dived off the starting block, Lochte never emerged until he touched the wall at the finish line.

His time of 22.81 seconds was the fastest posted at the pool and turned out to be his personal best doing the event underwater. The 30-year-old held off his teammates Roy Burch (23.40) and Cullen Jones (23.96), while Bahamian Kohen Kerr turned in a fourth place finish in 24.41 ahead of two other Olympians Tim Phillips (24.52) and Marko Blazevski (25.45). Keith Lloyd rounded out the field in 25.87.

The Olympians from the SwimMac in Charlotte, North Carolina were on hand to support Bahamian Olympian Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace, who was named the most outstanding senior swimmer for 2014.

Lochte, who also clocked 55.63 to take the 100m back, said it was all about putting on a show for the Bahamian public.

“I wasn’t going to do it at first, but then Arianna told the officials and the starter that I was going to do it under the water, so now I had to do it. So thanks Arianna,” said Lochte after the amazing performance. “It was good because it’s something different. I don’t swim the 50m free, but I know how to kick under the water, so I just wanted to give the crowd a show. That’s why they were there. It was good. It was awesome.”

On Lochte’s performance, Cullen said he was just as surprised as everybody.

“I didn’t see him. I will be honest with you. I didn’t see him. I was just focusing on my race and trying to execute it,” Cullen said. “I didn’t execute the way I should, but in season, you make mistakes. Ryan beat me under the water, but when we shave and taper, that’s when the lights come on. It was a great meet for us, a great venue to compete in. Hopefully we will be ready for this summer.”

“The pool was amazing. We got to train here a couple of times, so it was really nice to feel comfortable in the pool. I just have to be ready when I meet him the next time. I’m really looking forward to Rio and hopefully, as an old man, I can continue to perform as well as I’ve done so far.”

Jones, 30, did win the 50m fly in 25.03, followed by Phillips (25.09), Burch (25.78) and Lloyd (27.92).

On the women’s side, Vanderpool-Wallace delighted the home crowd by taking the 50m free in 25.22, well ahead of teammate Katie Meili, who did 26.11. Jennifer Cooke was third in 31.95. Vanderpool-Wallace also won the 50m fly in 26.83 over Camille Adams, who did 28.62.

“It was just so awesome to be in a meet with all of the age groups. In the United States, we don’t get to do this,” Adams said. “So this was really fun. We got to see the whole swimming community come together in one place and so that was really exciting. This is just training to get ready for the Worlds and the Olympics after that, so it was good to compete here.”

While so much attention was placed on the international swimmers, eight-year-old Marvin Johnson was making his own splash. He clocked 2:28.23 to snatch the victory in the boys’ 8-and-under 200m free to erase the previous mark held by Nigel Forbes of 2:30.88 last year. Maddox Pinder was second in 3:07.46 and Launy Duncombe got third in 4:21.40.

Johnson’s other record came in the 50m free when he swum 30.39 secs to shatter the previous mark of 30.55 that was also set by Forbes last year. Pinder again got second in 40.96 and Asher Johnson was third in 1:01.95.

Quite a number of competitors attained the qualifying standards for CARIFTA, scheduled for Bridgetown, Barbados, over the Easter holiday weekend.

The federation was expected to select the team on Sunday in order to have the list submitted by today’s deadline.