The Tribune

By Renaldo Dorsett

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Aquatics has selected a 23-member team to compete at the XXXII CCCAN Swimming Championships, set for June 28 to July 2 in Bridgetown, Barbados.

The team breakdown includes 13 men and 10 women, a cross-section of veterans and relative newcomers to regional competition at this level.

The women include Kaliyah Albury, Celia Campbell, Devin Cuffy-Bethel, Rhanishka Gibbs, Jamilah Hepburn, Rachel Lundy, Delaney Mizell, Keianna Moss, Giann Sands and Ariel Weech, while the men are Amuri Bonamy, Davante Carey, Tristin Ferguson, Nigel Forbes, Gershwin Greene, Marvin Johnson, Kohen Kerr, Peter Morley, Ian Pinder, William Russell, Kierro Stubbs, Lamar Taylor and Erald Thompson III.

The team will be coached by Travano McPhee, assisted by Sara Knowles. Georgette Albury will serve as the team manager, Karon Pinder-Johnson and Kendric Albury will be the team chaperones.

The meet has also been approved by FINA as a qualifier for the 18th FINA World Championships - Gwangju 2019.

The schedule for the meet includes Artistic Swimming June 24 - 27, Swimming: June 28 - July 2, Open Water: July 3 and 5 and Water Polo: July 4 - 8. The CCCAN Championships are held every odd year and began in 1960. Approximately 30 countries are expected to compete in this year’s event.

In their last appearance at the event, the Bahamas finished fourth with a total of 540.50 points. Trinidad and Tobago took first place with 649.50 points, Colombia was second with 584 points and Aruba was third with 561.50 points. Panama rounded out the top five with 526.50 seconds.

The Bahamas got its strongest performances from two age groups that topped the standings in their respective divisions, the Boys’ 15-17 (138 points) and Boys’ 13-14 with (129 points).

In the Water Polo segment, the Bahamas’ Under-16 team concluded tournament play with a silver medal and secured a Youth Pan Am Games qualification.

Bahamas Aquatics looks to continue another stellar season when they captured their third consecutive CARIFTA title in April, and fifth out of the last six titles. They collected a total of 889.5 points from 73 medals, inclusive of 35 gold, 18 silver and 20 bronze.

Several top performers from CARIFTA will also look to continue their regional success at CCCAN.

Marvin Johnson, competing in the boys’ 11-12 division, captured nine gold medals and one silver. Leading the way in the boys’ 13-14 division was Nigel Forbes with three gold, three silver and one bronze.