The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

COMPRISING of qualifiers only from New Providence, Grand Bahama and Abaco and featuring some competitors who attend boarding high school in the United States, 36 swimmers have been selected to represent the Bahamas BTC team at the 2017 CARIFTA Swim Championships.

The team was selected yesterday by the Bahamas Swimming Federation following the final trials over the weekend at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex. Also selected to compete is a 13-member water polo and 12-member open water swim team.

The swim competition is scheduled for April 15-19 at the Betty Kelly swim complex following the water polo competition from April 7-9. The open swim competition is set for Long Wharf on April 19.

The BSF is out to reclaim the CARIFTA title that they last held for two years before relinquishing it to Martinique last year. A total of 25 countries are expected in town to participate in this year’s big event.

“It’s a very, very strong team with only qualifiers and so we feel very confident that we can win CARIFTA again,” Cargill said. “It was an unanimous choice by all of the coaches during the selection process.”

According to Cargill, sisters Lilly and Albury Higgs are expected to anchor the girls’ side of the team, while Izaak Bastian and Samuel Gibson will spearhead the boys, bringing a wealth of experience as multiple CARIFTA medallists.

But he added they have a good crop of young swimmers who are eager to make their presence felt at the meet, so they are confident that the team will win the title again here at home.

TEAM BAHAMAS

Manager – Lynne Fraino

Head coaches – Jorge

Rodriquez and Travano

McPhee

Girls 11-12 - Abayomi Brown, Salene Gibson, Rachel Lundy, Liya Moncur and Zayle Elizabeth-Thompson

Girls 13-14 - Katelyn Cabral, Jamilah Hepburn, Anya MacPhail, Jolise Newbold and Katherine Slatter

Girls 15-17 - Jasmine Gibson, Lilly Higgs, Albury Higgs, Brianna Nesbitt, Victoria Russell and Virginia Stamp.

Boys 11-12 - Brayden Dam, Nigel Forbes, Jarad Reckley, Ishan Roy, Jake Thompson and Erald Thompson III.

Boys 13-14 – Trent Albury, DeVante Carey, Kevon Lockhart, Sean Neely, Ian Pinder, Tristan Russell and Lemar Taylor.

Boys 15-17 – Miller Albury, Izaak Bastian, Samuel Gibson, Peter Morley, Joshua Roberts, William Russell and Alec Sands.

Here’s the team that will represent the Bahamas in the Open Water Swim competition:

Head coach – Andy Loveitt.

Girls 13-14 - Giovanna Eneas, Anya MacPhail and Jazmine Trotman.

Girls 15-17 - Jasmine Gibson, Tenniya Martin and Keitra Lloyd.

Boys 13-14 - Rommel Ferguson, Tristan Russell and Lemar Taylor.

Boys 15-17 - Darren Laing, Shimon Lopez and Kris Smith.

Here’s a look at the Water Polo team

Head coach - Laszlo Borberly.

Stearlin Lewis, Marcel Ingraham, Saequan Miller, Joshua Knowles, Kenrick Stubbs, Adonis Sasso, Sean Knowles, Loron Bain, Johnathon Demeritte, Thor Sasso, Damian Gomez, Gabriel Sastre and Alexander Turnquest.