The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITH a slightly different format than the regular meet, the Swift Swimming hosted its heptathlon meet at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex over the weekend.

The meet, sponsored by Gunite Pools, saw swimmers compete in a total of seven events to be crowned the most outstanding athletes in their respective age groups.

Winning the girls under-8 division was Ellianne Higgs of Swift Swimming. She was the lone competitor in her age group to contest the event.

“I felt good. It wasn’t what I expected, but I tried my best,” said Higgs, an eight-year-old third grader at St Andrews. “I didn’t go against any competitors in my age group, but I won against some competitors in the 100m free. I came first in my heat.”

Maxwell Daniels, of the Dolphin Swim Club, was the winner of the boys’ under-8 division. He too was the lone competitor.

“It was easy, but it was also kind of hard because after my races, I kept getting tighter and tighter,” said Daniels, an eight-year-old third grader at St Francis/Joseph Catholic School.

Winning the girls’ 9-10 division was Anjaleah Knowles of SWAT, who beat out Swift’s Elle Theberge, Giada Bertoldo and Georgia Saddleton.

“It was good. I was hoping that I got a trophy and I am thankful that I did,” said nine-year-old Knowles, a fifth grader at Temple Christian. “My performance was good and the competition was good. At the end I thought I wasn’t going to win it.”

Maddox Pinder from Abaco Swim Club won the boys 9-10 division over Swift’s Koen Mott and Ayrton Moncur.

“I think I did good. The competition was hard,” said 10-year-old Pinder, who is in grade five at Angels Academy. “I had to swim against a lot of people.”

Vanaj Paul of the Dolphins emerged as the girls’ 11-12 champion over Laila Burrows, Alexandria Patton and Ariel Evans, all of Swift Swimming, who completed the seven events.

“It was good. I tried really hard,” said Paul, a 12-year-old eighth grader at St John’s College. “It was tough, but at the end I did it. I felt as if I did very well.”

Erald Thompson III captured the boys’ 11-12 division for Swift as he out-duelled Dolphins’ Rondon Williams for the title.

“In this meet, I shaved some time in my events, not all,” said 12-year-old Thompson, who attends St Anne’s School where he is in the eighth grade. “This was a very good meet. So I’m really happy that I got this opportunity to compete.”

Gigi Eneas added the girls’ 13-14 title to the Dolphins’ haul as she won over Swift’s Jazmine Trotman and Aaleyah Evans.

“I think I did pretty well. I’m happy that I won first place,” said 13-year-old Eneas, who is in grade eight at Queen’s College. “It just gives me confidence going into the rest of the season. I tried very hard, so I’m very proud of myself, especially in the 100 and 200m free.”

DaVante Carey clinched the boys’ 13-14 title for Swift over his team-mates Tristan Russell and Kierro Stubbs.

“It was a little rough at first, but I just got into it at the end,” said Carey, a 10th grader at Queen’s College. “I saw seven races and I got best times in the majority of them, but there’s still plenty of room to improve.”

Carey, 14, also had some competition as he went head-to-head with his 19-year-old brother Dionisio Carey. “He beat me in some of the races and I beat him in some of the races,” the younger Carey said. “It was good having him home and competing against him. But I enjoyed both the 100m free and the 50m free because I beat him in the two of them.”

Logan Burrows, representing Swift, won the girls 15-and-over divisional title over her teammate Madison Martinborough.

“It was my first meet back in a while due to studying for various exams at school, so I think I did very good,” said Burrows, a 16-year-old 11th grader at Kingsway Academy. And “I didn’t lower my times, but in everything that I did, I pushed myself to do my best.

“I enjoyed my 100m fly and my 100m back. I won my heat in both of them, but I didn’t drop my times. I was just surprised that I did as well as I did, winning my heat in both of them.”

And in the boys 15-and-over division, Dolphin’s Andre Walcott spoiled the return of Dionisio Carey in winning the title.

“It was good. I was very tired after my first few events, but I knew I had to finish strong and that was what I did,” said 15-year-old Walcott, a 10th grader at St Augustine’s College. “The competition was fast. I enjoyed my 200IM the most. I did fantastic in that.”