Home|Sports|Swimmers perform well at Mako Aquatics meetSports

Simba FrenchSend an emailMay 30, 2023 313 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

A number of local swimmers were in action at the 3rd Annual Oaktree Medical Invite hosted by Mako Aquatics Club over the weekend as they looked to make the nationals standards and improve on their times. The meet took place at the Betty Kelly-Kenning National Swim Complex.

There were over 500 swimmers in action, including Bahamian high school and collegiate swimmers based in the United States of America (USA). There were also swimmers from the Turks and Caicos Islands. Head Coach for Mako Travano McPhee said he was happy with the way the meet went.

“It was an excellent meet and it was a great turnout by the senior and junior swimmers,” McPhee said. “A lot of the younger ones were trying to qualify for nationals and this was their last chance to do that. Some overseas swimmers were competing in a long course meet at home for the first time this season.”

Some of those swimmers were the Thompson siblings trio of Luke-Kennedy, Mark-Anthony and Zaylie-Elizabeth Thompson along with Marvin Johnson, Nigel Forbes, Caden Wells, Keianna Moss, Kaliyah Albury and Erald Thompson III. Top performers from the recent CARIFTA Games, Saleste Gibson and David Singh, were also in action.

“It was good to see some of the younger ones’ eyes open when they saw the likes of Johnson, Forbes and the other ones who they look up to,” said McPhee. “During the season, they do not get to see those swimmers, so it was good for the younger swimmers to see them, get up and race. The younger ones always focus on the races that the older ones are swimming. It brings a lot of spirit and energy to the meet and the younger ones feed off that. The spectators look forward to seeing these swimmers in action.”

Forbes and Johnson were dueling each other in the 15-and-over boys 200m freestyle – a race that both had already achieved the nationals standard for. In the end, it was Alpha Aquatics’ Forbes who touched the wall first with a time of 1:57.10. Johnson and his Mako Aquatics clubmate Tristen Ferguson were second and third respectively. Johnson clocked 1:58.66 and Ferguson posted a time of 2:01.89.

The Black Marlins Swim Club’s Caden Wells won the 15-and-over boys division with 58 points – one point over his schoolmate Johnson. Wells is known for breaststroke events and won all three breast events on Saturday. He had a strong swim in the 50m breaststroke, posting a time of 30.96 seconds. He held off Johnson who swam 31.34 seconds while Ferguson placed third with in 32.79 seconds.

Mako’s Dndn McKenzie came into the meet achieving nationals times in almost all of her events. On Saturday, the 12-year-old went under the nationals standard in the 11-12 girls 200m butterfly, adding that to her list of accomplishments. She won that race with a time of 3:29.35. The Mantas Swim and Water Polo Club’s Tiah Seymour was second with a time of 3:34.43. Finishing third was Madyson Julien who swam 3:38.03.

The Blue Waves’ Christon Joseph surpassed nationals qualifying times in two more events in the 11-12 boys division – the 400m individual medley (IM) and the 400m free. He won the high point award with 60 points. Joseph clocked 5:54.88 in the 400 IM to win that race. In the 400m free, Joseph swam a time of 4:55.64 to place first in the 400m free.

In the 9-10 boys division, Mako’s Adrian Dean secured the high point award in that division as he came away with four victories. He had a strong swim in the 50m free, touching the wall first in 33.48 seconds. The Mantas’ Kai Bastian was second in a time of 34.35 seconds. Mako’s Blair Thompson swam 34.76 seconds to place third.

The Bahamas Aquatics Federation will host its national swimming championships June 15-18 at the Betty Kelly-Kenning National Swim Complex. McPhee is looking forward to the nationals, hoping to see some fast swims and national records fall as they expect to have all of their swimmers back in the pool.

McPhee thanked title sponsor Oaktree Medical Center and the other sponsors which came on board to ensure the meet took place.

Mako Aquatics is making moves as the club recently acquired Xavier’s Lower School’s pool as an additional home pool. They train at Evolve Functional Fitness. They are hosting summer camps at both pools with the camp at the Evolve location set for June 26 to August 4 and the camp at Xavier’s set for July 3-28.